Holding Hearts
by that tanned idiot
Summary: A collection of Kataang stories and moments that center around the hard-to-explain, omnipresent thing called affection.
1. Everything Before

_AN: I love Kataang. LOVE IT. That's all the motivation I needed to start this collection. I hope you guys enjoy. Feedback and reviews are always great to read and are deeply appreciated :) _

_I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. _

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**Everything Before**

Katara knows who she is and isn't often offended or shamed by it.

People think of her as serious and collected, and she's fine with that. She obviously isn't a party animal like Sokka or Toph, or the silly one like Aang, with all his goofy interpretive dances and face-splitting smiles. The waterbender is the one who's rooted, grounded more than Toph in at least one way.

Even in the peace time, she keeps her head and is the one in the political meetings the aged diplomats don't mind having around. She doesn't chuckle at random words or intervals like Sokka does, Toph and Aang giggling along. She just rolls her eyes at them before focusing her attention back to the matter at hand.

Her brother once called her a stick in the mud, but she snapped back that she's glad she is. Without that stick, there'd be nothing to pull you out of the sucking brown goop that would surround and drown. Sokka could only blink; Katara had smirked in victory.

Truthfully, she wants to let loose sometimes. To dance without resolve and sing without worrying about notes or proper tone; to just walk on bare feet with her hair loose and free, grinning like the luckiest naïve fool in the world.

But she has responsibilities. She has had them since the fire nation took away her foundation and her second pillar left to war.

She could have never guessed then, when she was younger and so cold and scared, that one arrow-covered boy would change her to such a degree.

How in her future, he would suddenly sweep her up when they would be having breakfast or reading just to twirl around the room without mean or measure. How he would wake her up to watch sunrises, explaining how they're much better than sad sunsets, and take her to places she'd never dreamed of. Waterfalls that flowed backwards because of strong air currents, rainbows that never ended, pools that alit at night from glowing algae; he knew it all to make her smile and giggle like she always used to do before her Mother died.

Aang makes her feel like she's weightless.

The way he can make her blush just by squeezing her hand or by nudging her foot with his under the table. She feels like she's idiotically free falling.

And she knows, every time they bring their lips and breaths together, that she's living in her youth.

That she isn't the strict old woman Sokka would call her, or even the dignified peasant diplomats talk grandly about. On the outside, she's in control of her emotions, cool and flexible like the water she can bend; emotions always in control. But on the inside and when he shows her those shy smiles, she's something else entirely.

She isn't anything but a silly girl in love.


	2. Adored

**Adored**

"Your Dad must have been a thief, because he seemed to have stolen the stars and put them in your eyes!"

Katara forced a smile.

"And I think that storm must have really killed me, because I think I went to heaven; I did wake up in the arms of an angel!"

Katara only quirked her lips up a little more. When was Aang going to stop this overload of so-bad-it's-still-bad lines!

"I think there's something wrong with my eyes because I can't take them off of you!"

"Aang!" Katara snapped, sitting up from her lied down position in the field, "Stop it!"

The tattooed boy sat up as well, eyebrows high on his forehead to show he didn't understand.

"All these, these horrid lines! Stop it! It's not you!"

This had the boy's head down with a slight frown and Katara felt regretful.

"Aang, I'm sorry," she said as she scooted a little closer and put a hand on his nearest shoulder, "I just don't like that kinda stuff."

"I'm just trying to be romantic!" the airbender said before a sigh came out, "Sokka told me that girls love to hear this kind of stuff."

"Aang," Katara began, holding down a chuckle, "When was taking romantic advice, or _any _sort of advice, from Sokka helpful?"

This caused the teen to narrow his eyes in thought before they widened and he said in realization, "Never!"

"Exactly," the waterbender said with a roll of her eyes, "Now just be you."

Aang seemed content with this, as he lied back down, bringing a giggling Katara down with him. Katara didn't mind being complimented from time to time, but to have such cheesy and unconventional lines constantly spewed towards her had been a little taxing.

"I have one more though, I was saving it!" he said in revived enthusiasm.

Holding down the urge to groan, Katara said, "Fine. Get it out now."

"You take me higher then my glider ever could!"

This one had the girl blinking before she giggled and said, "I actually kind of liked that one."

"Oh! Then how about-"

"Stop while you're ahead, Aang."

"Right. Sorry. No more, promise."

Katara sighed in relaxation.

"Just that you're the most beautiful person I've ever met, it's kinda blinding. You're _dangerous_!"

Katara was going to punch Sokka in the face next time she saw him.

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_AN: I thought I'd try and hit some comedy up; I hope I didn't epically fail. Reviews are love!_


	3. Just Because

**Just Because**

Katara had just finished making the stew and was sitting at the fire; she watched as the flames lapped at the black pot and the thick liquid bubbled and popped. Today had been fairly taxing in their travel and she couldn't help the yawn that stretched her face as a result of it.

"Hi Katara," Aang said as he appeared and sat down next to her, grinning widely as usual.

"Hey Aang," she said while easily returned his grin back with a smaller smile.

He explained that Toph was done training him for today and that she'd gone off with Sokka to go find some food and Katara nodded. The stew was vegetarian at the moment and, knowing those two, they would try and convert it (not that the waterbender as going to let them; this was Aang's dinner, too). Oddly enough, Katara found she had slowly begun to eat less and less meat. Maybe it was because Toph had recently joined and always seemed to eat her share without asking; it was probably because of Sokka's horrible cooking.

The two sat in silence for a little, just listening to the slight breeze and crash of the waves below, before the airbender seemed to begin to fidget; Katara raised an eyebrow.

"Something you want to talk about?" she asked as she turned away from the fire to face him.

Aang seemed to stare at her for a long moment before he looked away and his cheeks slightly colored. He rubbed at the back of his short-haired head before he asked, "Can I see your hands?"

Although the request was a little unorthodox, Katara complied and uncrossed her arms to show him her hands.

Aang seemed to be fascinated with them for a while and Katara thought he was only going to look at them, which seemed a little pointless and idiotic, but then he slowly raised his own. He glanced around him in a paranoid fashion before he gently grasped her hands in his.

Katara was surprised by the roughness of his hands, at the calluses that were being formed from earth bending. She was also intrigued at how nice it felt against her own soft ones, especially when he began rubbing small circles around her palms with his thumbs. Their colors contrasted; his paler, tanned skin and his sky blue arrow against her darker, bronze skin. She smiled at their juxtaposed attributes, but, just like his gentle fingers, she found odd comfort in it.

"Why do you want to see my hands Aang?" Katara finally asked after about a minute of them just sitting there, her hands enveloped in his own.

His face seemed to flush more and he tried to mutter something out, but it was just filler and useless words. As his thumb moved over her palm again, she thought she might understand.

"You want some of my special seaweed lotion?"

This had Aang's expression flattening before he grinned widely, asking, "Why the heck would I want some of that stuff?"

Now Katara was confused again; "Well, you must want hands like mine, you sure seem intent on the smoothness and feeling them."

The red cheeks were back as he slowly retracted his hands from hers before reiterating, "Ah, ur...no. I don't want your lotion. Thanks, though."

Katara sat there, just breathing and staring at Aang for a few moments, before asking, "Then why did you want to hold my hands?"

Aang's face seemed to split into a wide grin before he sat up with a flurry of wind. As he stood and looked down at her, that grin still in place, he answered "I don't know. I just wanted to for some reason; thanks."

The waterbender watched him begin to set up the tent before turning back to her hands he'd just held. She flexed and stretched her fingers a few times and looked her palms over; it didn't seem like anything had changed from Aang holding them.

Then why did they felt a little warmer than usual?

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_AN: I don't particularly like how this idea came out, but ooh wells. I want to thank everyone for the support so far! __I hope you'll keep reading because I'll keep writing (I have loooots of ideas, trust me). So...please review now? I adore your feedback!_


	4. Staring Contest

**Staring Contest**

Zuko's eyebrow twitched.

He looked up from his rice to the airbender next to him; Aang's grey eyes that were usually bright were glazed over while his entire torso was leaning forward, his elbows resting on the ground in front of his crossed legs while his chin was held in his palms. His face was relaxed and placid, yet there was a wide smile that seemed to split his face.

The prince then moved his eyes to follow Aang's gaze across the fire to what he'd been starring at for the past fifteen minutes (if not more) straight: Katara.

Sure, Zuko awknowledged she was pretty and nice (at least most of the time when she wasn't threatening him with bodily harm) but he was beginning to wonder if Aang was alright.

The waterbender was just brushing her hair, the long stands wavy and shiny in the firelight as she continuously ran her small comb, and occasional fingers, through it. Her face was calm as she seemed to exclude the world around her, but there were certain times when she would hit a tangle and her face would unattractively contort in pain.

Yet this idiotic Avatar didn't seem to mind that as he just. Kept. _Staring_.

It was annoying in how his face was so tranquil, like he'd found heaven just by staring across a fire to this girl.

Zuko's eyes moved from Aang to Katara a few times more before he visibly sighed; he had the urge to rub his temples but resisted.

"Don't worry, you get used to it."

At the voice, Zuko had to resist the urge to jump as Sokka, who he'd forgotten was sitting next to him, spoke.

"What?" the firebender intellegently asked.

"The staring, the weird face - you get used to it. Happens every night," he continued before stuffing some more jerky into his mouth, causing Zuko's eyebrow to twitch again.

"Sometimes I wish I could really see faces, his sounds hilarious right now!" Toph exclaimed with a laugh.

"It's just annoying," Zuko muttered.

Aang gave what the firebender could only assume as a dreamy sigh as Katara lightly grinned before she flicked some hair over her shoulder.

Zuko's eyebrows now furrowed.

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_AN: Thanks for all the support so far guys; you're amazing! I wanted to incorporate another character and, well, I though of Zuko because compared to his relationship with Mai, Aang and Katara must seem a little annoying in all their stares and such, because you know, THEY'RE ADORKABLE LIKE THAT. But, anyway, thanks for reading and feedback is fantastic!_


	5. Staring Contest II

**Staring Contest II**

Zuko knew that Katara didn't like him; the threat of torture and pain made that all too clear. So when she hung around the first few firebending practices, he couldn't really blame her or find fault in it. She was really just protecting the only hope the world had left - it was fair (if she kept that false belief that he was still bad, which he _obviously wasn't!_).

But then she had eventually come to trust him, if the playful shoves and smirks meant anything. He still didn't know if the waterwhips to the back of his head were a good or bad sign.

So it confused him as to why she kept coming to watch over their practices, even at Ember Island when the beach sounded like a better place for her to relax. Then he noticed that there was a change now; while she had watched Zuko with narrowed, skeptical eyes with her water pouch firmly attached to her hip, she now sat there in lightly grinning, not giving a care to him.

Her eyes used to keep fast to Zuko's movements and fire, but now her eyes were focused solely on the arrow-headed kid.

Zuko had thought it interesting, _funny _even, how she could just sit there with her head tipped to the side as she played with a piece of hair or just kept her hands crossed in her lap. She would ignore her loud brother and that rowdy earthbender and just sit there, doing nothing but observing the drills with a different criteria.

Of course, he had to train Aang and so Zuko kept his main focus on that, but he couldn't help but take notice of her and her attitude towards their fighting sequences. The way she would bite her lip or hold down a grin whenever Aang did a particularly tough or multi-stepped move; it made Zuko roll his eyes.

She was just as bad as him.

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_AN: I wanted to do a second part... so I did. Review naow?_


	6. His Case

**His Case**

Katara raised an eyebrow at the nervous Aang who was next to her, both aside the small fire. It was the only light across the black beach, the moon barely a sliver tonight and the stars clouded over; it was dark and beautiful and it paired well with the nearby crashing waves. Some sparks would hop from the salty wood, which turned the fire an odd greenish, and illuminated their faces and sparsely-dressed bodies.

"What is it Aang?" she asked as she moved to lean into his side, not afraid to move a hand around his waist.

The airbender opened and closed his mouth in rapid succession, only managing to get out a few noises that sounded like they came out from Momo and not him. Whatever was getting to him obviously was distressing him enough to the point where he couldn't even form functional words.

"Aang," Katara said his name confidently as her arm around him tightened, "You know you can tell me anything."

This had his light eyes darting from the fire and then to her before he lowered his head and moved it to sit atop Katara's own.

"Do you bloodbend on me?"

The question came out of nowhere and Katara's spine straightened without warning, causing their heads to knock and for Aang to groan out. But Katara's mind was elsewhere, so far that she didn't acknowledge any pain from their knocked heads.

"What did you just ask?" she asked in a hushed voice.

The tattooed teenager winced at her quiet tone before he ducked his head in his shoulders in what seemed like shame.

"Explain Aang; what made you think that!" Katara said in desperation as her hands formed into fists at her sides. She didn't know if she felt a sudden chill because of the conversation or because she wasn't leaning into his warm frame anymore.

"Well...it's just..."

He looked at her serious blue eyes before taking a deep breath and finishing.

"...you make my heart pump like crazy every time I'm with you."

Katara tilted her head to the side as her confusion only seemed to grow. Finally, after she had looked into his eyes long enough to realize he was entirely serious, she asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Here," he said as he grabbed her hand, "Feel it."

When he placed her hand onto his warm skin, right over his heart, Katara's eyes widened in shock.

"Your heart is beating fast."

"I know. You make it do that."

"Like, really _really_ fast."

He groaned and nodded, letting go of her hand to lay limp at his side, before saying, "It hurts a little sometimes."

Katara couldn't contain the grin that spread on her face before she burst out into laughter, her light voice easily overpowering the waves and crackle of the fire. When she caught her breath she said, "So, let me get this straight. You think I'm using bloodbending to make you heart do that?"

"Well, it just won't stop and it's annoying!" Aang said in frustration. "It's always done that around you, but now it seems like it's doing it even more, which is ridiculous because we're together and it couldn't be better and-"

"Aang," Katara cut off his potential rant fast, "I'm doing nothing."

"You're definitely doing something! You're making my heart go crazy! Make it stop!"

Katara laughed at his pouting expression. She couldn't tell if he was being serious, or if this was all a big joke, but the waterbender decided she really didn't care as she pulled their bodies back together.

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_AN: If you caught on to the double meaning to the title, good job :D If not, the definition of the word 'case' can mean a problem or situation, but also love. YAY for ambiguous English! I feel a little like a jerk for taking the serious subject of bloodbending into this but… it just had potential for me. What'd you guys think?_


	7. Guilty

**Guilty**

"You know, someone should tell Twinkle Toes to put a shirt on."

At Toph's odd, and slightly random, point, Katara looked up from cutting up and preparing their nights dinner. She looked at the earth bender, who jerked her head to the side to motion to where Aang and Sokka were sparing.

Katara watched as her brother and Aang ducked and swung at each other with air and shaped space meteor. She could see Aang's diaphragm expand and retract as he moved, and his lithe muscles coiled and relaxed with his movements, the pale blue tattoos stark against his tanned skin. The younger of the two had a stash around his eyes, easily covering the upper part of his face and only showing the flat line of his mouth, lips pressed together in concentration.

"I don't' see what the problem is. I don't mind, do you?" Katara asked nonchalantly as she continued to keep her gaze on the air bender.

Toph scoffed before saying, "I don't; isn't like I can really see him. And I should have expected you to find him walking around half-naked most of the time totally fine. You two get down to your underwear to waterbend; what's the point in that?"

The teenager watched a valley form between Aang's shoulder bones as retracted his hands to give out a sudden rush of air, which had Sokka flailing back the next moment.

"It's hot in the fire nation," Katara informed.

They sat in silence for a little longer before Toph said, "He might get sunburn."

"I can heal that, easy," Katara answered back.

Aang was now up in the air, suspended for a moment before barreling back down and slamming his fists against the earth, causing the rocks to crack up and rumble. The ripple effect seemed to happen to his arm muscles as well, as they seemed tense and taunt before relaxing.

"Is it good for him to always show off his tattoos like that?"

"We're in a secluded area, it's fine."

Sokka tried another approach, and took a running leap off a rock, but Aang simply spun his arms above, making his ribs push against his skin for a moment and for newly-developed abdomen muscles to stretch and show, and blew away her brother.

"What about his scar? Shouldn't he keep that covered up until it goes away a little more?"

"It's healed; we just have to wait for it to fade."

Sokka had just swung a close slash at the air bender's shins, and Aang stumbled back for a moment before crouching in defense. His pants stretched a little lower, and Katara could see a pair of dimples that signified the end of his spin and the blue line that continued on towards unseen skin. But then he lunged up with a rush of rock and she couldn't see the small indents anymore.

"Won't his sexiness totally distract you?"

"His sexiness does not distract m-"

Katara stopped mid-word as she realized something: she had been watching Aang this entire time. She turned back towards the cutting board with a bright blush on her face, and began to viciously cut the squash she'd left alone for a while now.

Toph smirked as she said, "I win yet again."

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_AN: While re-watching the beginning of season 3 I realized Aang's little habit, and it made me lol. I liked the idea, and giving Toph an opportunity to be awesome, and it came out ok I guess. I suppose it's up to you guys to decide that, though :P Reviews are appreciated!_


	8. Where the Heart Is

**Where the Heart Is**

Katara had never been averse to traveling on Appa all around the world, far away from her home, because it seemed, no matter where they went, there was an ocean in sight or nearby. She could close her eyes and hear the waves crash or taste the air flavored with salt and imagine she was on the icy shore. And if they weren't near the huge bodies of water, they would then be by a river. The sound of water was reassuring and made her feel safe, through everything. It was a constant; it was everywhere they went.

But when they went to the Southern Air Temple to help rebuild it. There were no large bodies of water here. It was just Katara on top of a mountain with the wind constantly ruining her hair.

She had come for Aang, of course. She had been living at the South Pole while he kept running around the world and maintaining the delicate balance they'd established. While she had enjoyed being back where she had grown up, it had grown tiring and she had felt annoyed at the airbender for just leaving her there. He said with all the conviction in the world that he just wanted her to be relaxed and have a calm life, since he took away all that time and made her stress so much. He wanted to give back her childhood; she wanted to do the same. But Katara knew she couldn't do it right now; she was forced to simply wait in the omnipresent snow.

And while she appreciated everything he did for her, she made Aang make a deal. Once most of the political and other such things were settled down and he was allowed to be somewhat normal, like Katara, they would permanently reunite and live together. Then they could be together, and then they could feel young together.

When that day he was finally able to fly free, he had come to the South Pole and had tried living there. He really had tried and she appreciated that so much. Even though the Southern Air Temple wasn't that very far, it still wasn't covered in ice with people eating just meat almost always, since the cold temperatures didn't allow for vegetables of fruit. Katara was a little surprised how long he lasted (ten months) before he stated sadly that he couldn't continue like this. He loved the snow and the people, who were the only warmth in this harsh environment, but he needed a place where he didn't need to wear a thick jacket lined with animal fur.

The waterbender had agreed to a move; he had humored her for so long it was time for her to do the same. She mentioned Ba Sing Se, and a place like Iroh's tea shop where they'd first celebrated their victory. But Aang had shaken his head; he was a little tired of the customs and bustling city there. She next mentioned the fire palace and staying with Zuko, like they had for the first year after the war, but then they remembered the heat that had taxed them to breaking point.

"How about we go restore my home?"

He had asked it with such realization and hope, and when he looked to Katara with those wide eyes, she didn't have to think before agreeing and hugging him close.

Appa and Momo had cheered when they landed and the lemur had flown off to find what he'd been named after. Katara also watched as Aang looked up at the crumbling buildings and structures as they walked with less and less enthusiasm.

As they stood in the room of past Avatars, his head dropped as he said that maybe this wasn't the best place to live. Sure, they were engaged (waiting to be married when they got a little more older and wiser) and they valued each other's company, but there were no other people around and a select few animals. Here they were secluded and alone.

Katara was slightly taken aback that he thought of his home like this, so she slapped the back of his head, causing him to turn to her with confused eyes.

"Well then we'll just have to clean it up."

And that's exactly what they did. He earthbended the columns and sculptures back, and they waterbended from the rivers far below to fill the pools and water the earth. They planted seeds and trees and they polished the stones and mosaic murals, allowing their true colors and magnificence to shine through.

But even after everything was done and the place didn't look so abandoned anymore, Katara felt a none-distinguished pulling. Aang was at her side, happy and pleased; he wasn't pulling her anywhere. Sokka was happy traveling from place to place, alternating from the poles (to visit family) to the earth kingdom (to hug Toph) and to Kiyoshi island (to see Suki). Her father was sitting content at the bottom of the world with her Gran Gran and Master Paku. If the people close in her life weren't pulling her, then what was?

And then Katara realized it was the ocean; the water was trying to pull her away from her new home.

But she knew she couldn't answer it, she was with Aang.

Yet water is resilient and stubborn, just like herself, and she began to feel herself slipping away. She tried to hide it, to put more effort into waterbending so that she could feel connected to the water, but the physical sight and feel of it was no longer so potent.

Aang watched and seemed to understand, and said he was like that with this place. It was calling for his help, and he had to come. He dropped his head in shame then, saying he shouldn't have dragged her along with him. That just because this place is special for him doesn't mean it has to be for her. He had fundamentally shunned her own place of birth.

"Aang, it's not your fault. I love it here because you love it here."

The words she said were true, but the pulling continued. She felt horrible, she was so happy with him, but she couldn't even appreciate it because of this longing.

"I found a solution."

He seemed so eager, like he was that twelve-year-old boy again and not the lanky teenager he'd grown to be. Katara grinned kindly; she hoped this invisible string could be appeased. But she had always been a realist and she felt that familiar spike of skepticism.

He took her to the ledge where he explained they'd jump off of with their gliders, and pointed to the vast abyss below.

All Katara saw were clouds.

"I don't get it, Aang; there's no water."

"Yes there is, really look. You'll see it."

Her eyes opened at the realization. The white and grey shades mix together and spread below them, hiding from sight the far-away world below. The clouds rolled and moved like waves, and the occasional wisp was like the salty sea spray that flew up against rocky shores. Aang must have seen her face as he spoke.

"Those clouds are now your ocean, Katara."

The tugging immediately stopped and she felt like she was balanced again, no longer worried about tipping over. She grabbed onto Aang's hand, eyes still fixed to the neglected beauty. After what seemed like hours, she moved her sight to see Aang smile down at her, an expression of pure happiness cracking his face.

And as she stood there, the wing playing with her clothes and his hand warm in hers, she came to a realization.

She felt like she belonged, that she was standing here right now because it was only right. To be here with this person, to feel the rejuvenated life around her that she'd helped create and to look down and see an ocean of not only water, but air as well, working in perfect harmony. It was almost overwhelming in the emotions it stirred.

"I've never felt more at home."

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_AN: I really loved writing this one. Thanks for the reviews so far everyone, keep them coming please!_


	9. Unintentional Fulfillment

**Unintentional Fulfillment**

"So, let me get this straight," Aang started as he rubbed his chin; "In your culture giving a girl a necklace means you're asking to _marry _her?"

"Yerp," Sokka answered from the saddle without enthusiasm. "But she's gotta take it first and all that."

"It's an engagement," Aang now said in awe as his eyes widened as he made the clear connection; he felt sudden elation in realization.

Sokka only snorted.

"So that means me and Katara are engaged!" he said with fists to the sky and a victory yell.

Sokka choked on his spit and almost fell of Appa as the huge animal reared up, happy since Aang was happy.

"What are you talking about?" Sokka asked in a harsh whisper as he clung to the front of the saddle, not wanting to wake up the supposed already married girl who was at the back of the saddle. Apparently she hadn't slept very well last night because the full moon kept her up, too buzzed on energy.

"Well," Aang said as he turned on Appa's head to look at Sokka's, "I made her that one at the Fortune Teller's place."

"Out of fishing line, Aang. _Fishing line_."

"Still counts as a necklace!"

Sokka's eyebrows were twitching, like they were fireworks ready to fly and explode.

"And then," Aang continued, oblivious to the looming threat of a sister-complex, "I gave her back your Mother's necklace. That counts too, I think."

"It most certainly does _not_!" Sokka yelled. This kid was twelve and the Avatar, he shouldn't be thinking about marrying his sister; he shouldn't even be thinking about her unless he needed to practice waterbending.

Yet Aang wasn't fazed by Sokka's flustered state as he only shrugged before his face split with a smile.

Sokka narrowed his eyes before sighing and throwing himself back down on the saddle.

"Whatever, Aang," he said in defeat.

The warrior supposed he could let the little bald kid have this. Because, really, there was nothing wrong with dreaming.

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_AN: I had to answer this generic-idea call sometime; hope you guys still liked it!_


	10. Unintentional Fulfillment II

**Unintentional Fulfillment II**

"Third time's the charm!" Aang said in utter excitement as he leaned down to tie the necklace around the girl he had woken up to; a girl who was real and who had outshone any dream.

"What?" Katara asked as she kept her arms lifted, holding back her mountain of unbound hair.

"Well, you know," Aang said as fumbled with the tie, her heat making his fingers tingle; "I already supposedly proposed to you twice, and you accepted both times."

This had blue eyes widening and Katara pulled back, cupping his face with her hands. Aang noticed that she had a quizzical expression, so he sighed before explaining.

"I made you that flower necklace, and then gave you back your Mother's one. And you accepted both of them."

Both water tribes seemed to have simple regulations for such things like this, as Aang had looked up and Katara knew, that by accepting a necklace it was binding. Nothing more, nothing less; it was as simple as giving a piece of jewelry.

Katara's face broke into a slight blush, as she said, "So, technically, we've been engaged for the past six years? Since you were twelve?"

"Hey!" Aang huffed, blowing a slight gust into her face, "You were only fourteen! _Big _difference!"

"But-But," Katara stumbled as she let go of his face slowly, hands dropping to her sides. But then Aang was hugging her closer to his frame, and she sighed. He had shot up when he was sixteen, and was now a good head taller than her. Sometimes she missed the Aang she could hold close to her own chest; she never thought she'd miss his shortness.

But then he was doing what she used to do to him, and she felt the warmth and affection. She hoped that her hugs were this good for him, too. They must be if he was asking her to marry her - again.

"I didn't know being engaged to me was so hard to comprehend," Aang joked to break the silence, yet his laughter was tight and forced.

This caused Katara to give a huff of her own before giving him an extra hard squeeze that had him yelping.

"Shut-up, I'm just shocked is all."

"That you've been unknowingly tied to the most amazing person in the world?"

"And here I was worried with all the constant praise you'd lose your modesty."

They pulled back to look at each other before bursting out in laughter. Katara's little quip wasn't that funny, it was really just the whole situation of it.

"But!" Aang said as he cut himself off, "We're getting off topic!"

He lifted the necklace again, and Katara grinned.

"Yes. For the third time, yes."

"It's technically the fourth time now, you just said yes a few minutes ago."

"I'm glad you're still keeping count, Aang."

* * *

_AN: Because I'm the author, and I CAN._


	11. All This Time

**All This Time**

Aang's ears were bright red, and it wasn't because he was embarrassed.

It was because he was angry.

The Gaang were all mingling around in the latest political party to support peace, Zuko believing that with dancing and mixing of cultures there would be more alliances and friendly dealing. His father had been just defeated just over two years ago and it seemed things were finally beginning to calm down; to mellow enough for the teenagers to have actual time off. And with the Avatar and his close-knit group of friends at parties to promote peace and equality, what could go wrong?

The new Fire Lord was right for the most part, except for one little thing. And that tiny thing was the bartender Katara had been talking to for the past (he glanced up at the large clock) twenty seven and twenty three seconds. And counting.

"What are you doing over here brooding at a peace gathering, Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked as she approached him with a plate piled high with food, using her other hand to land a solid punch in his shoulder, as if in a greeting.

Sokka, who next to her and eating off her plate, followed Aang's obvious, unwavering gaze and sighed as he spotted the problem.

"Just go get her," Sokka said as he munched on a leg of what looked like zebra-ostrich.

"You don't understand," Aang sighed.

"I'm blind, but I'm going to take a _wild _guess and say this is about Sweetness," Toph snorted.

"Right as ever," Sokka nodded.

"You know, this kid here is a little sad, wouldn't you say?" the earthbender asked, looking up to Sokka for him to answer.

"Poor, poor airbender. Doesn't know what to fight for anymore," Sokka sighed as he rubbed his chin.

"You guys aren't helping," Aang deadpanned, not finding this moment to suddenly appreciate their sardonic humor.

"I wasn't trying to help but if I were to give you advice, being your teacher and all, I'd say the same thing I do to you in practice. Stop being such a pansy and just _go for it_."

"Yeah, like I said," Sokka agreed.

"Easy for you guys to say," the love-struck teen sniffed.

"Fine, then just be depressing for all we care," Toph snorted before grabbing Sokka's arm and pulling him towards a table.

Aang stayed leaning on the wall, looking down at his shoes and the legs of people passing by, before he sighed and his shoulders slumped in self-loathing. He had survived 100 years in an iceberg, had mastered all four elements, had died and come back to life and had defeated a Fire Lord even before he was a teenager.

But he couldn't just go over to the girl he liked; he could only get jealous.

After their kiss the day after their victory and she had confessed to him as well, making it the best day of his life (just barely beating staying alive in his battle against Ozai because that meant he could have this day) nothing had really happened.

She would give him kisses on the cheek on occasion, and they would hold hands and spend lots of time alone talking and cuddling, but there had been nothing really else. At first Aang thought it was how he was younger than her, but that didn't seem so much of a problem now as he was just fourteen. And with everything he'd accomplished, and continued to do, he really shouldn't be thought of a just a boy.

But even if Katara did want to have something of a more physical relationship with him, he knew he wouldn't like it as much as their love right now. Because, honestly, he wasn't ready for such a drastic change in their dynamics right now. Everything was already changing so much, even if it was all good, and Aang wanted them to stay a constant; he wanted to always know that Katara would be everlasting. He wouldn't shake away a kiss every now and then, but then the option hadn't come along for him to decide about.

And then there was the problem of how boys and men alike were now paying attention to his endearing waterbender.

"Aang?"

At the soft voice, his head snapped up and he jerked apart from the wall, almost colliding with the girl he'd been thinking about.

"Oh, uh, hey Katara," he muttered as he looked aside. He would look down, but since he'd been growing, he would still see her face.

"I got our drinks," she grinned.

"I'm not thirsty," Aang said as he crossed his arms over his chest and kept his eyes averted.

Katara immediately knew something was wrong, so she put down the drinks on a nearby counter and took his wrist, moving him past smiling people to one of the balconies. The airbender looked up at the night sky and noticed there were a few clouds, but the crescent moon shone through everything. And it illuminated Katara's face hauntingly as she whirled on him.

She placed her hands on her hips, cocking them to the right a little bit, before she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he immediately answered.

Her eyes softened and he felt a little guilty about lying so horribly, but Aang didn't waver or take his definitive, although unoriginal, answer back.

"Is it the party? I know we've been going to a lot lately-"

"It's not the party," Aang said with a sigh, and then felt like slapping himself as he'd pretty much admitted something was bothering him.

"Then what is?" she asked as she dropped her hands to her sides.

There was silence as Katara waited and Aang thought. And then he decided that it was time to face this.

"Why do you do that?" Aang asked as he looked up at her with hard grey eyes.

"Do what?"

"Flirt with everyone!" he yelled out as he raised his arms, slightly alarming Katara. But that only lasted for a moment as she took in his statement and felt anger spark.

"I don't do that with everyone; I don't do it with _anyone_," she said evenly.

"Well why did you talk to that guy for so long?" Aang asked in exasperation, "And how you kept leaning in to him – !" He broke off to give out a loud, resounding groan that the background music did nothing to hide. But it seemed that everyone inside were too busy laughing or drinking the high-priced free beverages.

"Aang, calm down," Katara said in annoyance, "He was just telling me an interesting story and I couldn't hear him well because of the music."

"Oh, sure, the loud music. Convenient excuse, Katara," Aang said with a roll of his eyes as he crossed his arms.

He knew he was going a little overboard, but this wasn't the first time. The way she could so easily bat her eyelashes or flick her hair and there would be guys fawning over her, it was a chore! Aang saw her increasing beauty as both a gift and curse; a gift in how her physical appearance matched her pure and amazing personality and inside attributes but a curse in all the unwanted attention it brought.

Her eyes narrowed, as she said, "You're getting worked up over nothing."

"I don't think so!" he said as leaned down to look her in the eye, "It's hard to watch!"

Her cheeks flushed and her hands formed fists at her side before she hissed, "Stop being such a stupid, possessive boyfriend! It isn't you at all!"

Aang opened his mouth to snap back but he found himself closing it as he suddenly felt great- grand even. She had, inadvertently and in the heat of a mounting argument (sure), called him her boyfriend. Even in unfaltering context, she had still said it and that's all that really mattered to the teenager.

"I don't actively flirt with anyone! If talking is such a crime, I might as well just go mute!" she continued on, not stopping even as Aang's eyebrows raised and his face went blank.

"You called me your boyfriend," Aang said with a silly, stretched smile.

"And why is it-… wait, what?" she asked as she blinked, her eyes now wide open and her back straightening.

"I'm your boyfriend?" Aang asked in hope, as he began to unconsciously hop on the balls of his feet.

Katara's blank face turned incredulous and she tilted it a little bit as she said, "Of course you're my boyfriend."

"You've never said it before," Aang stated, but his smile just kept growing. She had affirmed it.

"You're kidding," Katara said with a snort, "I've said it before."

"No, no," Aang said, "You never have. I mean, after we won you confessed but…"

"So you haven't taken into account how I kiss and hold hands with you? And _only_ you?" Katara asked with a skeptical raised eyebrow.

"Well, I mean, I don't know," Aang said, stumbling, "You just never said it. And we haven't really, uh, kissed in a while."

"Do you have any idea how busy we are? And the rumors that go around just because I take up your time? They think I'm making you lazy and irresponsible."

"That's-" Aang began in anger, but Katara cut him off by raising a hand.

"I'm sorry, Aang," she laughed as she came up to him, "I guess I've just never said you're my boyfriend because I didn't think I had to. It's obvious enough, isn't it? I said I love you, and I still do."

Aang felt his chest rise.

"It's still really nice to hear," the teenager said as he wrapped his arms around her frame to bring against his.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, "I had no idea you were worried about us all this time. No wonder you just exploded in worry."

"You do make me feel insecure sometimes," Aang chuckled, "With all those boys chasing after you."

"I don't have anyone chasing after me," Katara said as she squeezed his body extra-hard for a moment in faked annoyance.

"Well, I'm _sprinting _after you. Metaphorically, but… never mind I'm not a poet," Aang sighed.

Katara chuckled into his collarbone before she lifted her hands to his face; she placed them on either cheek and made him look down at her.

"I think you've caught me a long time ago, Aang."

And then she kissed him with such passion Aang thought his knees would buckle and give out. But then he found a second-wind and grabbed her shoulders, bringing her even closer to him as their lips continued to move together.

* * *

_AN: I wanted to try and take something generic and make it interesting. It's still a little blah for me, but I hope you all liked it enough!_


	12. Danger

**Danger**

"Zuko!"

At the rushed yell of his name, the prince wheeled around with his body tense and hands up, saying, "What's the problem!"

But Aang, who had originally yelled his name, stopped his super-fast sprinting in the knick of time, coming uncomfortably close to Zuko's bubble.

"I need to tell you something of _vital_ importance," Aang said, his dark eyebrows drawn and lips pressed in a set line.

Quirking an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic visage and attitude, Zuko relaxed and took a tentative step back before asking, "What?"

Aang darted his eyes around a few times in a paranoid fashion before he sat, bringing Zuko down with him as he lopped an arm around the older teen's shoulders. Personal space - these people did not understand it! Zuko thought as he resisted the urge to growl.

"So," Aang began to whisper, "I thought I should warn you."

"Warn me about what?" Zuko asked in frustration; he'd already been officially part of the Gaang (as Sokka had explained after he'd been included from their voting) and couldn't guess what he needed to know that he didn't already. Unless it was about eating Sokka's snacks, he just did that anyway.

"It's about something of utmost importance," Aang continued to whisper, eyes darting around for a second time.

Zuko sighed, holding down the fire, before asking, "What is so important?"

"You need to be really careful of your heart!" Aang said with wide eyes and a straight face.

The banished prince blinked.

He blinked again before holding down the urge to smile and breath out a soft chuckle.

"My _heart_?" he asked in disbelief after a moment of only Aang staring at him in all seriousness.

"Yes!" Aang continued in fevor, "You don't understand - she'll steal it like she did mine!"

Zuko's head perked up a little as he began to realize what this was all about.

"You mean Katara?"

Just at her name, his face seemed to relax and smile, but he stiffened if up again to nod and affirm, "Exactly."

He had opened his mouth to retort the airbender's entirely unrash belief, but the 'thief' in question had just appeared, in what seemed to be some still half-asleep form. It was the morning, so Zuko let that slip. Yet her hair was a mess that seemed as big as her body, her clothes ruffled as she rubbed her eyes before she seemed to unhinge her jaw as she yawned. To say the least, she was nothing compared to the cool, defined Mai that Zuko knew.

Yet when he turned back towards Aang only see his face split in a smile and glimmering, fascinated eyes, he knew what he'd said about Katara at least taking his heart was true. Zuko felt sorry for this heap of a guy; he was glad Aang could protect the world better then his heart.

But then Aang seemed to snap out of it as he moved his hands to bunch Zuko's shirt and bring his face close to his and say threateningly, "Don't let her."

Grinning lightly, Zuko said, "Don't worry. I already got mine taken from someone else."

Aang seemed to sigh in relief at this.

It was another moment when Zuko realized just how similar he and Aang were.

And man, he realized, they were always getting royally screwed-over.


	13. Survive, Strive and Succeed

**Survive, Strive and Succeed**

Aang looks up at the person who sits next to him, but snaps his head back to the ground a second later as he sees it's Katara.

"Are you alright Aang?" she asks as she places a hand on his shoulder, "You've seemed down lately."

Biting his bottom lip, Aang shrugs her touch off before crossing his arms and saying, "What do you mean? I'm fine." He inwardly curses on how easily she always seems to read him; it's so unfair. He can barely keep tabs on her emotions, how can she so easily see through him?

"Please don't lie to me."

Her voice is soft and pleading, and the airbender sighs before relaxing his tense body language; he turns to her with big grey eyes. He's met with big, welcoming blue ones. He decides to come clean and tell her because he knows if he can trust anyone it's her.

"I'm scared," he says simply, "What If I can't do anything right? What if I _fail_, Katara?"

They sit in silence for a little bit, and she replaces her hand on his shoulder; he doesn't make a move to shove her off this time.

"There's this weird saying at my tribe," she begins suddenly, whispering so that Aang has to lean towards her to hear; "It's simple really; sink or swim."

He looks up with knotted eyebrows, silently asking for an explanation.

"When mother leopard-seal pups go swimming with their babies for the first time, they just push them in."

"They push their own babies in? Just like that?" Aang asks in slight disbelief.

Katara nods and smiles; "Without any training, they're just shoved in ice-cold water."

Aang is silent, so she continues; "From that, my tribe made that saying of sink or swim. You succeed and find yourself gliding through the water or you don't and you give up and drown."

He gulps and looks down at his feet again and almost jumps as Katara squeezes his shoulder.

"Ask me about what happens to the baby pups," she cajoles.

Even as he wonders where she's going with this, he follows along and asks, "What happens to the babies when they're pushed to their doom?"

"They swim of course," Katara grins wide and Aang blinks in shock.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," she says as she tucks her elbow in to knock shoulders; "Every one of those fat blobs with little flippers I've ever seen gets the hang of it. From the help of the others around and its natural instinct to live, they all make it."

Aang grins and is about to thank her, but she's talking again.

"But you," she says in a different, indistinguishable tone, "I know you'll be different."

He gulps in sudden apprehension; all the hope he had suddenly seemed to have plummets to his feet. But then she's unexpectedly pulling him into a hug.

"I think you won't sink or swim; you're going to fly," she whispers gently into his ear.

He smiles against her neck and hugs her back, his hope renewed and expanded.

Days and weeks later, when she rushes up to him and they collide into each other, arms and fingers grasping for the other, he whispers, "I flew, Katara, _I flew_."

She can't say anything; she's sobbing in relief.

* * *

_AN: I was thinking Katara, in all her speeches of hope glory, would sometime give Aang a little lesson on inner-strength. I don't know exactly where this is in the time-line, I made it vague so it could fit really anywhere :P I like to think it's in the first season, when he's still in total strife about being the Avatar. I actually like this one; what did you guys think of it? Mind telling me in a review?_


	14. Cute Casanova

**Cute Casanova**

Katara had enjoyed in the beginning of their relationship how edgy and fidgety Aang was around her, the way he'd twiddle his thumbs and try and discretely scoot closer to her; he never really got that stealth down. She also immensely liked the way he'd blush when their hands brushed against each other, or whenever she gave him the kiss on the forehead or cheek in goodnight.

The way that they could simply sit under a tree and talk and be able to find immense pleasure in that, it was amazing. When he reached to hold her hand under the table during the boring meetings, it kept the smile on her face.

But then it seemed like one day a switch had gone off in Aang's teenage mind or body.

Now he'd pull her into closets and up trees, holding their bodies so close she could feel their heartbeats intermingle and arms tangle. The way he'd cradle her head and pull at her hair in fervor when they'd kiss for minutes on end; he had Katara grabbing onto his shirt and skin tight enough to rip and scratch.

Aang now seemed to grab onto her hand any opportunity they had, rubbing his calloused palms over her softer ones. She liked the way it made her skin tingle, like she'd just covered them in newly fallen snow. And the way he'd run his thumb over her knuckles, it made Katara the blushing one when they went walking down hallways and streets.

It seemed that he was growing taller by the day too, his arms being able to circle her body and legs making him stretch closer to the sky he could so easily control. Katara began to feel grounded with him while he kept growing, kept going. She now found that after a short six months of being together, she had to begin looking across and then finally up to make eye contact.

And even though he was making her feel so fierce and passionate, she became scared. Where was that boy she'd freed from the iceberg going; the one who had asked her to go penguin sledding with the widest smile she'd ever seen?

But then an interesting thing happened. Aang became clumsy with his new height.

He would mis-gauge and mistake distance with his bigger feet and longer limbs; he would flatten on the ground with a humiliating laugh before he'd raise his scratched face.

And Katara had never found anything more adorable.

So even when he kept stealing her aside ("We're just gonna go waterbending Sokka; stop being such a worry-hog-monkey!") Katara knew that the boy she'd first known and befriended was still somewhere in there.

She began to really look at his actions, to assess every little thing he did (and try not to feel like a stalker while doing so) and she found she had worried over nothing.

His smile was still as goofy and shameless, not afraid to show both rows of teeth or his dimples. And the ways he would try and impress her, like showing her how he could stuff three - yes _three_! - moon peaches into his mouth without choking, weren't so ordinarily romantic, but still endearing none-the-less.

And the way his grey eyes glimmered and lit up every time she grinned at him - it made her feel invincible.


	15. Playing the Fool

**Playing the Fool**

Katara wasn't stupid; a tad oblivious at times, but not stupid.

She didn't realize that Aang had fallen for her when he'd opened his eyes, but she eventually took from his continuous staring through the months that he felt something for her that he didn't feel towards Sokka, or later towards Toph and Zuko when they joined their little escapade.

His grey eyes would watch, and Katara discovered. Eventually he knew that she knew that he knew and - it got interesting. It was now some sort of twisted game without any rules or order.

Aang was afraid to scare her off; Katara didn't know just how deep his feelings went, let alone hers. So they kept dancing around each other, trying to hold down blushes when their hands brushed or when they stayed awake at night to simply listen to the other talk or breathe.

Katara loved how he would do idioidic things to impress her; it was just like Kiyoshi Island. The way he would jump off cliffs or write her name in the clouds, it made her laugh and blush.

But then suddenly the war was over and they seemed to be in a limbo, not knowing what to do with each other now that they knew the other's feelings. There was nothing to distract them from the grins that meant more, nothing to distract them from the flirting they would unconsciously do (which infuriated Sokka nonstop it seemed).

Aang was still scared, Katara was still unsure; they both had no idea what to do. The war of the world had ended, the one going on beneath their ribs had just begun.

And the waterbender seemed to realize that Aang had always been the one persuing, the one trying to catch her attention and interest. She realized that maybe it was time for her to repay the favor, and do something to make him really look at her. Something to make him laugh or love so much he'd cry.

Yet she was stuck, Katara spent weeks trying to figure something out that would get them closer then holding hands and kissing cheeks.

Not that she didn't mind their innocent, light love that they'd both instigated that sunset at the tea shop. But they were teenagers - they could at least peck each other on the lips from time to time; but Aang hadn't made a move since that night of immediate celebration. He seemed to have fully relaxed, thinking that they had all the time in the world now that there wasn't an entire nation our for their hides. He was still polite, still carefree in the way he smiled and ran his fingers through her hair calmly.

And yet in this luxurious relaxation Katara felt so desperate. She watched him grow, his face beginning to change and his voice cracking and finally lowering into something that caught girls attentions. What would she do if he simply went away; he was the Avatar and the last airbender and deserved the best. Katara wasn't so egotistical to think she was the best.

But she was greedy and she was stubborn in her resolve to keep him.

Katara finally decided to just jump, to free fall.

She grabbed his collar and pulled their bodies together under the full moon, not caring if she was bruising their lips by crashing them together. She didn't care about courting rules that Sokka had apparently briefed him about, didn't care that they were covered in water and only clad in their undergarments; all Katara knew was that she wanted Aang to physically feel what she'd been holding in.

When he kissed her back and moved his hands to cover her back, she felt a shiver of excitement and victory.

Sure, her method wasn't the graceful, proper and poised as they'd been with each other until now, but she didn't care. Aang didn't seem to either.


	16. When You Leave

**When You Leave**

Ta Min felt the tears begin to start, and not because of the ash and deadly gas that had begun to cover the ocean.

The second volcano had just gone off, and she had felt her heart stutter and shake with the island. She kept her head high and still-sharp eyes trained, in search to see Fang; she had only seen that blue dragon for a moment before he was gone.

And if Fang wasn't around anymore, that would only mean that he'd kept down with her fallen Roku, and that he had failed.

She leaned down and felt herself begin to give huge, dry sobs, but the tears were still dry. She felt her two sons put their hands on her back in comfort, but she didn't acknowledge the warmth.

Years passed, and even as she lived her days out on Ember Island, watching the ocean push and pull and lull the beach world around her, she felt a longing a simple paradise island couldn't offer. Her sons would come and visit with their beautiful brides and she would revel in her grand-children, and wish that he could see their young smiles and light giggles.

Ta Min now sits on the beach, and knows that they had had a fair amount of time; but she is greedy and doesn't think it's enough.

She wants _lifetimes_ with Roku.

All the time on the sand left her time to think, and she realizes that if his soul is able to be reincarnated, then so could hers.

She would meet him in the Spirit World and past that; in her next lifetime.

* * *

_AN: I concept I thought of and wanted to explore; what did you guys think?_


	17. When You Leave II

_AN: I felt like continuing the last one to include some actual Kataang; hope you guys enjoy :}_

* * *

**When You Leave II**

Ta Min looked down on the world below and felt an odd, sudden detachment; like the breath had just been taken out of her if she was still living. She looked at Roku before he motioned for Fang and they flew off to follow whatever had just left her body, but not make her feel anymore empty.

They arrived at the icy South Pole, and looked down past the ice-building to the inside, where a woman was cradling close a new-born girl.

"Look at that," Roku said with a warm voice, "That means the time is soon."

"I was so worried," Ta Min sighed into his back, "I was so worried that it wouldn't happen. But my soul knew the timing."

While Roku watched Aang grow and was a great mentor, Ta Min would watch Katara with interest. She noted the similar habits, the similar way both their hairs had been mountains and creatures of their own. She watched how at first the teenager didn't take notice to the boy, and then how it started slowly before she was just as enamored with him as he was with her. There was such a sense of déjà vu it was a little overwhelming some days.

"I feel so bad for Aang," she sighed to Roku one night as they watched the two young adults dance together.

"Why do you say that?" Roku asked in mixed shock and alarm.

"I'm so beautiful; he has no idea what to do."

Roku gave a deep rumble of laughter before pulling her close, saying "It was the same for me. He'll overcome it."

And overcome it the airbender did, as he finally got the nerve to propose to her. She nodded with tear-stained cheeks and he had rushed her up to the sky in a sudden flurry of air and happiness.

Even though they weren't invited to the wedding, Roku and Ta Min sat atop of Fang and watched the ceremony holding hands and remembering. It seemed half the Spirit World had thoughts along the same lines, as the sky was covered with creatures and past people the material world below couldn't see.

Turning to leave, Ta Min saw Kyoshi walk off with her man and then looked across to some of the single Avatars, and felt her heart pain. Especially when she saw Kuruk walk off with his head lowered in longing and self-loathing. It had been just as much her fault as his and she felt incredibly guilt.

"So many lives, we haven't found or kept each other," she whispered to Roku.

He looked down at her, and smiled softly, before saying, "But so many we have. You should focus on that."

She looked down at the young couple before turning back to Roku and nodding.


	18. Hobby

**Hobby**

In the peacetime, an unexpected thing happened that Katara hadn't predicted: Aang was becoming bored out his mind.

It was a horrible consequence of living so many months on the run, constantly on the move and with too much happening too fast. Their schedule had been chaotic and danger had seemed to lurk at every turn, under every pebble. So now that there wasn't anything or anyone chasing them, nothing to fear in the dark corners of uncertainty or in a room, it seemed to open up blocks of time they didn't know how to deal with.

There were only so many moves Katara could do and practice, even beginning to make a few moves and sequences of her own. Now that warriors weren't needed, Sokka simply lounged around most of the time with Toph joining him. Katara was truly worrying about their whispers of supposed plans of producing cactus juice for the masses.

Now, she had to admit, her and Aang weren't any better. Most days they lied in the shade of trees or went on leisurely walks and flights on Appa, holding hands and stealing kisses. The way she could always make him blush and he could make her breathless without bending, it was amazing. But it was still only part of their life and they didn't want to focus solely on that. True, they knew that they were never to entirely tire of themselves, but it was only healthy to have other activities rather than making out. Katara liked that activity though... very much.

The only thing that seemed to change daily was what matters needed to be discussed in the once fire war-room. The four of them would trudge in and Zuko would conduct the talks and debates on how to rebuild and heal with his council and representatives from the other nations (poor Aang, he had to represent the air benders and be the Avatar; tough double-standard). They had decided to stay at the palace until everything was dealt with; being unable to travel far was what Katara thought affected Aang the most.

The peace wore thin, and Katara watched as Aang became even more edgy, even jitterier in his everyday nothing activities. He seemed to begin to overreact to things, one market day blowing an entire cabbage cart into the air when one had fallen onto the ground from behind him.

So she had gone to Iroh, one of the wisest people she had come to know. When he simply smiled and gave her a pipa, she had raised an eyebrow and asked Zuko, who was next to his uncle, if he was serious. The young lord had simply sighed and nodded, saying it was probably the truth if his uncle was suggesting it.

Katara was just as surprised at Aang's slow breakdown when he took an instant liking to it. His grey eyes had seemed to glimmer in excitement when she pulled it out from behind her back to him.

He would take it wherever he went, fingers attentive to the strings and sounds he could produce. Katara had to admit, he was angry-Hei-Bai-Spirit _awful_; the way he would twang the strings and place his fingers too low on the frets and cause high-pitched notes that had Momo rolling on the ground in what seemed like pain.

But over time his ears began to understand and his fingers complied; there were suddenly melodies and harmony.

They started out simple and plain, but Katara enjoyed them immensely as they walked through markets or the palace. Over time they became elaborate and his fingers were dancing up and down the frets, the strings humming in what seemed like joy as Aang played the instrument with skill and precision. It had been just like bending; time and practice and dedication. Katara grinned in secret as he now had to do something without pure talent, it was hilarious how his tongue always seemed stuck out in concentration.

Yet Katara didn't care very much if he was good or bad (although Sokka and her ears seemed to differ), what mattered was it kept him intent on everything around and engaged in the slow-paced life they'd established. The way it made simply lying in the shade on afternoons or late nights of full moons even more enjoyable; it kept Aang oddly grounded.

And when on one certain night Aang had floated up to her window with the pipa, eyes closed as he played a melody that had her hands grasping for him closer, Katara knew that she owed Iroh a lifetime amount of tea.

* * *

_AN: A pipa is the Avatar world's guitar, to put it simply. Other than that, hope you guys liked it and reviews would be lovely! Thank you for the ones people have already left, they give me great inspiration!_


	19. Unruly Behavior

**Unruly Behavior**

Katara bite down on her lip hard, and closed her eyes to stop the tears from coming. It was really all too much, sitting here in this torture she never knew could exist.

Ever since they'd defeated Ozai and imprisoned him three years ago, the world had seemed at ease and perfect. Perfect was a use she didn't use lightly - but the world was turning into that. The scares were being healed, the belief of the fire nation being horrid reformed or forgotten.

But here she was now, holding back her voice that she so deserately wanted to let loose.

And it was all the savior's fault - it was all Aang's fault!

He was grinning across of her, face placid as he pretended to listen to whatever Zuko was droning on and on about; maybe it was immigration issues of earthbenders coming to the fire nation - whatever! Katara didn't care because she was a little preoccupied at the moment.

And then his grey eyes slide from Zuko to her from across the table and Katara felt the urge to double over and hide her face.

She knew it must look entirely weird and ghastly, if Sokka's expression, who was obliviously sitting next to Aang, was anything to go off of. Her face must be red and flustered, totally uncontrolled as they sat in this dignified meeting room.

But it wasn't her fault! It was Aang, all Aang!

Who knew footsies could be so hard to deal with!

Just moments ago when she'd first felt his bare foot on hers, she had jumped, knocking her knees against the wood painfully and causing a slight disruption. She excused herself, saying that she thought she felt Momo. It was a total lie - she could see him in Toph's lap being petted nearby. She was wondering what it could have been, only to look across and see Aang softly chuckling to himself.

She had narrowed her eyes and gone off to battle.

But he seemed to know many more moves with his feet; it was probably because he knew earthbending. Waterbending was so much in the arms, your feet didn't do so much work as in other bending.

Whatever it was, Aang was a master at deflecting her own feet and running his up and down her shins and knees, a few times even slinking it up the side of her thigh. The first time he'd done that move, Katara thought her eyes were going to pop out of her skull.

While it was endearing and cute, especially the way he could keep his face so refined when doing something so childish, Katara had the strongest urge in the world to laugh and not care. She obviously knew that a diplomatic meeting wasn't the best place. Probably the worst, actually, with all the revered figures lining the long table.

But when he suddenly leaned forward a little more and moved his hand under the table to tickle the arch of her foot with magic fingertips, Katara couldn't hold back the sudden bark of laughter.

It seemed to echo around the people and she ducked her head in utter shame, face pure red.

"Zuko," Aang said as he leaned across and rubbed his embarrassed-to-death girlfriend's back,"I think we should wrap it up for today."

The king didn't seem to argue (Katara discovered later that everyone realized what was going on because of her inability to have a good poker face) and everyone slowly left the room. A few of them were chuckling, most just smiled with their eyes crinkled as they passed the young couple on their way out.

"That was positively torture!" Katara whispered harshly as they left.

Aang's straight face split into a grin as he he wrapped an arm around her hips, bringing her close to him as they walked.

"You know you liked it. Kept the meeting exciting, right?"

When she looked across to see his practically glowing face, Katara sighed before relenting.

But then she got a wicked idea, which she shared as she cupped his ear and whispered, "Why don't we find out just how exciting we can make your room?"

Pulling back, she saw his face had turned a bright red and she grinned.

He may have won that battle in the meeting, but she always won the war.


	20. Unruly Behavior II

**Unruly Behavior II**

Sokka put his hands on his hips as he looked up and down the table, rubbing his chin in annoyance.

"They're not here," Toph said from below him, leaning back on her palms before yawning, "And I really can't blame them; lucky idiots."

"Well they _should _be here!" Sokka said in a huff as he sat down on the cushion, "Katara and I represent the Southern Tribe here since Dad is busy rebuilding the place itself and Aang is the Avatar - they have responsibilities you know!"

Toph scoffed before sitting upright and moving her feet onto her cushion, not wanting to unintentionally find her two friends because she was sure they were busy with something she didn't want to know about.

Down the hall and to the right of the meeting room that was becoming increasingly filled, there were two bodies jammed in a closet together.

"Aang!" Katara managed to gasp out as he trailed kisses down her neck, "We really need to get to the meeting, it's about to begin."

The teenager did a noncommital grunt before he moved his hands that had been on her back a little lower.

"Aang! Are you listening to me?" Katara asked in slight annoyance.

"Five more minutes," he said before he moved a step even closer, successfully flattening Katara entirely against the wall.

"Hey!" Katara said in embarassment as one of his hands moved to her bun, pulling out the pins and letting her hair loose.

"Oh come on Katara," Aang said in a sigh as he retracted a little bit, "Yesterday wasn't very fun, why should we go to one of those things early?"

"You're right, yesterday wasn't fun because of your annoying feet messing and embrassing me in front of countless important people!" Katara said, feeling her temper begin to rise even more.

"But we've been so busy that we..." Aang drifted off as he lowered his head onto her shoulder, a lame puff of air escaping his mouth as if to show just how tired he was.

Katara felt her anger stop and she sighed as well, bringing a hand to his face, cupping his cheek. She felt herself smile as he leaned into her touch and closed his eyes.

"Alright, fine; five minutes. Then we have to go," she decided as she moved her other hand to wrap his torso close to hers.

His grey eyes snapped open and he seemed to have all the energy in the world suddenly as he brought their lips together. Katara did an inward curse; he knew how to play her so well sometimes. Not that she minded any, as he pushed passion and deepened the kiss she was all too willingly to return.

When their five minutes were up (it really evolved into ten), they tried to show up the evidence; they straightened and adjusted their clothes back and Aang attempted to help Katara with her hair. It was pretty amusing to the airbender as it was impossible to gather all the hair up since he couldn't fully use his arms in their cramped location.

Finally coming out from the closet, they came face-to-face with a maid who gave a glance, lifted an eyebrow and continued walking. Katara slapped a palm to her forehead as she knew they would be the latest palace gossip before the meeting would even begin.

They quickly walked the short distance to the room, where it seemed everyone was already settled and Zuko had just stood to begin.

"Sorry we're late, we got...uh-" Katara looked at Aang for help.

"We got lost. You know, this palace is huge!" Aang said as he extended his arms high above his head and waved them a little frantically for show.

Everyone seemed to accept this, or didn't seem to care much, even at their still slightly rumbled appearances. It was obvious and didn't need to be talked about; the diplomacy needed to start anyway.

"So, where did you get 'lost?'" Sokka snarked as they sat across of him and Toph.

"In a six by nine closet," Aang stated with a straight face that had Sokka's turning pale.

"Aang!" Katara hissed as she shoved an elbow into his ribs.

"Oh, sorry," Aang said as he rubbed his chest, "Was it _five _by nine?"

As Katara covered her face with a hand to hide her blush while Aang's grin just widened, Toph cackled out a laugh into a cushion.

"This is totally too much information!" Sokka groaned out as his shoulders slumped.

* * *

_AN: I like Sokka's last line because they're at a diplomatic meeting where, you know, people talk and brief everyone about the a bunch of activities all over world but then all he's hearing is Kataang and…yeah never mind._


	21. Breathe

**Breathe**

If anything, he enjoys her soft breath on his skin the most.

Not the searing lips that make him arch or the curious fingertips that brand him as only hers, but the light exhales that play against his collar bone and neck.

He shivers, and after a while she takes note of the power she had by doing something so simple, so fundamental.

Now she uses her cool breath anytime she can to calm him down. In a heated peace debate room when delegates are arguing, she'll take their held hands and blow through them. On an impossibly humid day, she'll pull him close and blow against his neck and jaw line. When it's late at night and they're pulling away too much clothing, she'll blow on his ear to remind him, and herself as well, of what they're doing.

He relaxes at the soothing sensation, at the care she gives to his well being.

Her breath is like a small, but somehow unwavering, wind that comes and, instead of rustling him up, straightens his errant emotions and thoughts.

She keeps him grounded and down to earth with his own element.

With something so simple as a breeze she controls him.

It scares him for a little, to know she has so much power over him, but then he sees her breathe and reminds himself to do the same.

She's only breathing; he's only breathing.

And they're simply in love.


	22. Ready to Start

**Ready to Start**

Katara and Aang came back into the room, holding hands and faint blushes on their cheeks from 'activities' just finished.

The others in the room looked up, and there was a mixed reaction at their obvious change in body language, showing what had just happened. Toph gave a holler of victory, Sokka face-palmed himself, Zuko looked confused, Mai looked impassive (big change there), Suki looked mildly amused, Iroh seemed genuinely happy and Momo seemed absolutely ecstatic.

"You two were like that?" Zuko asked in a shocked tone, as if his wide eyes weren't enough indication; "I mean, I know you guys were really close and all but-!"

"I knew this day was going to happen. I just didn't know it would be this soon," Sokka groaned, hand still implanted on his face while Toph slapped his back a few times, still laughing in celebration.

"Ah, young love," Iroh said in what seemed like longing as he poured himself another cup of tea. Momo was atop his head, little hands fisted in victory while he did a little jig.

"So, they finally had their first kiss and are together, big whoop," Mai said as she absently waved her hand from behind her own boyfriend.

"Um, well, _actually_," Aang said as he rubbed the back of his burning-in-embarrassment neck, "That was our third kiss. On the lips, that is."

Sokka's head shot up at the news and Toph felt her laughter die short; this information was unexpected.

"Wait," Katara said as she turned to him with a hand on her hip, "I thought that was our fourth; did you count the one at the Cave of Lovers?"

"You guys kissed in there? Appa, you let me down!" Sokka exclaimed as he twisted to see the beast just outside; Appa only vaguely roared.

"Of course I did, that was our first one," Aang said quickly in glee, but with a blush still prominent, "I just didn't count that one at the Ember Island because, well, it wasn't really a kiss, was it?"

"_That's_ what you were doing instead of getting my food? The treachery! " Sokka boomed; he continued to be ignored.

"I'm sorry about that, Aang," Katara sighed as she took her other hand in his, bringing their foreheads to touch, "I didn't mean to shoot you down like that; I just knew you had to focus on you duties and I couldn't stand letting myself love you when I had almost lost you already. I was scared."

"I was never angry at you, only at myself," Aang smiled across to her, before he plucked up some courage and pecked her on the corner of her lips; "Although it's nice to hear that."

"I think Sokka just passed out," Toph stated to the room as the teenager lay unconscious on the floor.

While Suki ran over to help him, Mai said, "Great, now I'm gonna hurl from all your sweetness."

"Did you know this was going to happen?" Zuko asked his uncle across the board, eyebrows still furrowed in confusion.

Aang and Katara gave apologetic glances to the others in the room while Sokka gurgled from the floor.

* * *

_AN: I know Zuko is OC, but I wanted someone to be shocked and, well, he was the odd man out for the reactions so was stuck with it XD But, anyway, did you guys laugh? Giggle? Smile, at least…?_


	23. A Place in This World

**A Place in This World**

No one really knows where Avatar Aang and his beloved Lady Katara are buried other than their children and the children of their close friends and relatives.

There are rumors, speculations of where their bodies are laying in everlasting sleep. They weave around and into towns and cities alike, capturing people's attention in their exaggerated glory.

People whisper that they are sealed off in a cave, in the deep mountains on any of the four nations, dressed in the finest clothing; their coffins gilded with enough gold to sustain a nation for years. Some say that they were sent out to sea, put on a boat and alit or simply allowed to drop to the bottom to become one with the creatures and life unseen. Others believe that they were buried on a turtle-lion's back, the beast being humble enough to take care of their bodies with its vast knowledge and years.

But for the people who know, they just chuckle at the passing guesses.

Because where those two special people really are is simple and easy to pass by.

The bodies are side-by-side on a small, green hill that overlooks the ocean and has the wind moving the grass all day and night. There is only one grave stone that has their names on humble rock, probably pulled up from the beach below from its smooth surface. Sometimes there are flowers on the spot, as their relatives visit to pay their dues and thanks. And sometimes travelers come across of it, but they always seem to know not to divulge the information.

Because it's a special place, and if word got out, it would be trampled. The grass wouldn't flow with the wind and the ocean breezes' salty sprays would be overtaken by people rushing to see.

So the travelers pay their respect and move on, a secret in their pocket and their steps feeling a little lighter.

And the two resting souls watch from above and smile in appreciation for the people they had helped save.


	24. Energy to Burn

**Energy to Burn**

"Hey - Aang! Hey, _wake up_!"

At the rushed whispers urging him to open his eyes, the teenager groaned before sitting upright, rubbing his eyes in slight aggrivation. He'd been having this really great dream where there was this wedding and he'd been waiting and then his bride had come walking down and he had pulled away the veil to reveal - "Katara?"

"Let's go waterbending," she said as she wrung her hands in front of her, fingers playing across themeslves as her blue eyes seemed wide and alert.

Lethargically blinking a few times, Aang rubbed his eyes again. "What?" he smartly asked as he looked back up to her. He noticed that even in her crouched position she was bouncing on the balls of her feet, her entire body going up and down in a jittery sense.

"I have all this energy," she said with a grin; "Let's have some fun!"

Aang looked up from her illuminated face up to the sky and realized: full moon. Of course. He looked back to her pretty face that seemed so eager and interested.

"Fine," he sighed as he stood up, his back still slumped in remaining sleep.

Katara gave a huge smile before taking his hand and leading him away from the other two still-sleeping people around the dead fire. As Aang tightened his fingers between her own ones, he thought that this wasn't so bad.

When she began kicking his butt without mercy, he felt that optimistic opinion diminish.

.

_Some years later..._

_._

"Aang!"

"I know, I know," the one being called said as he sat up from his bed to look at the girl who was at the window sill; "Full moon, full moon. Let me just-"

He was cut off as he felt his body get flattened back onto the bed.

"Katara?" he asked as he looked up at her and felt a sudden shiver down his spine; was it just him or did her expression seem purely predatory? Her eyes were glazed and her hair loose, creating waves of brown that fell around his head that seemed to cut him off from the world and only see her.

The waterbender seemed to give a hum of ambiguity as she moved a hand from his side to his chest, using her index finger to splay patterns through the light cotton shirt. Katara's eyes moved from his face to the hem of the article of clothing, seeming suddenly vastly interested in it.

Shutting his eyes tight and realizing he was now fully awake as her fingers caught onto the end of his shirt, Aang shakily managed to get out, "S-So, waterbending? In the courtyard there's a f-fountain we could use..."

This stopped her action short and she moved her attention back to his face, which Aang could just assume was already bright red (in dark places, his cheeks seemed to become lights around her).

"I thought that we'd try... something _different _tonight."

Aang gulped before asking, "R-Really?"

"Oh yeah," she said as she rested her chest against his, "This is going to be lots of fun."

While Aang had detested the way he always got his pride shot when they spared on all those full moons, he felt a sudden change.

He used to dread the full moons, but now Aang immensely looked forward to them.


	25. Focal Points

**Focal Points**

They were both a number of firsts and lasts.

He was the first to master airbending at such a young age, as she was the first to master waterbending so young as well. They had only been kids, but they possessed such power. They were the last people their masters would have believed to succeed the way they did.

She was the last of the southern water benders; he was the last of the airbenders. They were the first hopes in quite some time for their dying cultures.

He was the first Avatar to realize his destiny at that young age; she was the first waterbender to use bloodbending when she was a naïve child. They were both so vulnerable, so naïve to what was outside of their thoughts and dreams. Their discarded childhoods were one of the last casualties of the war.

They are similar in their beginnings and ends, but in the middle ground they differ.

She is hot and quickly set off while is he cool and reflective, never one to jump into things. While he lets her fly, she keeps him grounded. Their personalities seem so similar, like their lives and positions, on the surface, but beneath the smiles and hugs there is change.

She is the ocean, powerful and with the ability to change in a minute; he is the sky in how his emotions and love are never ending.

They come together and mix, like the water in the air, like clouds that soar above and bubbles that serenely float.

Like every other couple they have arguments and feuds that seem to create hurricanes in their mixed elements and opinions. She yells and he glares in disappointment; but at the end they come together.

They fit; they know they've met the other right in the middle.

Because their love is dead-center.

* * *

_AN: I was thinking about all their similarities (and found it was a little shocking) and thought I'd share my thoughts on it all :D Feedback is always appreciated_


	26. It's a Hit

**It's a Hit**

Aang stared at Katara; Katara stared at Aang.

The waterbender narrowed her eyes in warning, and he mirrored it; Aang even went a step further by sticking out his tongue. Katara, seemingly offended, moved back with a frown.

But then she was sitting right back down on the ground across of him, re-narrowing her blue eyes and sticking out her tongue as well.

"What is going on?" Sokka asked as he came into the room, his lackluster tone contradicting his inquisitive question.

"These two," Toph sighed, "Are having a _duel_."

"A duel?" Sokka asked, interest perked; but when he looked back at them, silently holding still (although, quite tensely), he frowned. "They're not dueling, they're just sitting there."

"Oh, we're dueling alright," Katara shot out without breaking eye contact with the younger teen.

Sokka sighed and turned to Toph for an explanation; she rolled her unseeing eyes before stating; "Well, Aang commented on how they've never really said those, I quote, '_special three words_' to each other even though they've been together for a while now, and then Katara said he should say it and then _he_ said that _she_ should say it and now-"

"Now we're waiting to see who caves in and says it first," Aang interrupted to finish, leaning a little closer to his girlfriend.

Sokka blinked before face-palming himself; "You guys are such nerds it's astounding."

"Don't distract me," Katara said before she wiped a few beads of sweat off her forehead, "I'm concentrating; this is unexpectedly hard."

"I agree," Aang commented.

"On not saying 'I love you?'" Sokka asked with disbelief, hands on his hips; "I thought you guys spewed that sort of stuff constantly."

"I'm going to have to agree with Katara, Sokka," Aang said, "You're distracting me; can you please be quiet?"

Sputtering at the impudence of these two, the swords master opened his mouth to retort and yell, but Toph yanked him down on the couch next to her and just said to watch. And that's exactly what the two of them did as Toph handed him pieces of his own jerky; they waited.

At first it seemed the two were invincible; then sure signs of fatigue started to peak through.

Their shoulders were slumping and they had dropped their arms, their heads hung a little lower and closer. Their lips, that they had been biting at to try and distract from the urge to yell their feelings, seemed red and bruised from the unjust abuse.

Just as Sokka was about to yell that they should just get over this stupid thing, something happened.

They both stood up with a start and threw their arms up for the other, crushing their bodies together.

"_I love you_!"

Sokka and Toph turned to each other and Sokka stated dryly, "They just said that at the exact same time, didn't they?"

The two on the couch frowned in a similar unison to the still-hugging couple who now, since they'd said the statement for the first time, couldn't stop.

* * *

_AN: I was originally going to do the idea of who saying 'I love you' first really dramatic and insecure on both their parts (cause, you know, confessing is a bitch), but then Toph and Sokka wanted in and my idiotic, fluff-loving brain took over. I hope you didn't mind and enjoyed it all the same XD_


	27. Peace

**Peace**

Sokka had to resist the urge to laugh (Toph didn't, he obviously heard) as he watched Aang sprint across the courtyard at a speed that had plants flying out from their pots.

At the moment, they were staying at the Fire Nation palace for their annual, yearly reunion celebration for the defeat of Ozai and the restoration of balance in the world. While it was a quiet day and they were taking some time to relax in the sun and drink some tea, it seemed that the Avatar's job was never done.

Yet while he had to before calm a vicious world torn from war, he now had to calm his pregnant wife who was overwhelmed with hormones and food cravings. Sokka had always thought that Katara could be rash and demanding, and occasionally spoiled; he had never realized to what extent until now.

Sure, it was their first child and Katara was now in her twenty-eight week (as Aang had gushed as he'd leaned down to place his head against her swollen belly) but the airbender was still freaking out over nothing.

Apparently she wanted papaya cakes, which was utterly _ridiculous _in Sokka's mind because she usually hated that fruit. Stupid hormones, messing with his sister, and so Aang.

But when Aang reappeared with the desired dessert, making Katara latch onto him in a what looked like a bone-crushing huge, and Sokka saw both their faces stretch into huge smiles, he shook his head. He knew that they were all immensely lucky.

He would take a pregnant sister over fire-benders out for their skins _any _day. And that was saying something.


	28. Time

**Time**

After peace negotiations and endless hours of debate on land territories and who owed who what, along with going all over the world to support Zuko and his ambitious recovery plan (which had worked out beautifully with his no-shit policy, amazingly enough), Aang and Katara were given a few years of relaxation. They were now in their late teens and had decided, before permanently settling down, that they would revisit all their stops they had taken during their beginning years together.

They had invited the rest of the crew to come along, but it seemed that both Sokka and Toph were busy in their own affairs while Zuko still had an entire nation to rule. They each said in their own way that they couldn't take such a large amount of time when they had other things needing to be done. It seemed fairly legitimate in their responsibility, so the couple had let it slide.

So that had left only the two of them to ride on the back of Appa with Momo curled around their shoulders, glad to be on the move again. They suspected that in the few months they'd been staying with Zuko he had been getting restless, if the increased pranks the little lemur had been making meant anything.

They were currently at the fortune teller's village enjoying themselves. Although it made a few of the villagers look up and point at the two of them while they sat atop the intricate lava formation Aang had created, they simply kept sitting there and holding hands, legs hanging off the black rock without a care.

As Katara massaged Aang's rough palm with her thumb, she divulged, "You know, this was where I first realized you in a different light."

"Sure it wasn't just the hot cinders and ash all around?" Aang joked with a bark of laughter; he'd been spending too much time with Sokka.

Katara playfully shoved him, careful not to go too far and push him off, before saying, "My fortune was I would marry a powerful bender, how you handled an entire volcano showed me just that."

She watched as Aang rubbed the back of his head before grinning shyly, saying, "I know."

Her blue eyes widened in shock before they narrowed in realization, she poked him in the ribs as she said, "You eavesdropped!"

"Hey!" Aang said as he tried to swat away her hand while still holding her other, "I was worried!"

"I forgive you," Katara said, causing him to sigh and slump, "I guess," she added as she poked him a last time, causing him to laugh before he swept his head down for a kiss that Katara didn't hesitate to return.

A little later and they were walking down the streets, turning and looking at the street shops and mingling with people. A few of them seemed to remember them, although they said Aang was quite shorter and Katara had a different necklace now. It had both of them grinning like idiots and tightening their hold on each other.

They were just deciding to leave after they'd visited Aunt Wu when they heard a loud, "Aang!" from behind them.

Turning around, they both blinked at the beauty before them. Her grin was wide as her hair was done in multiple braids that fell a good way past her waist, brown eyes warm and welcoming as her teeth were straight and white.

Aang looked around a few times before pointing to himself, silently asking, 'Me?'

"Yes you silly," the mystery woman continued as she took a few paces closer to them, "You don't recognize me?"

"I think I would-OW! Katara!" Aang groaned as he moved away the foot she'd stomped on.

"I'm Meng!"

Both Aang and Katara stared before it hit them and their jaws unhinged to hit the ground.

"Oh!" the now identified Meng said as someone came from behind her to wrap arms around her shoulders.

"If you'd excuse me, my lady and I have a very important date we need to get going on!" the young man said; Meng chuckled before waving goodbye.

They walked off, leaving Aang and Katara to stare after them in shock.

"That guy had big ears," was all Katara managed to say.

"Man, it's weird to see things change," Aang said as they resumed walking towards Appa, shaking his head lightly.

"Some things won't change too much, though," Katara said as she took a step closer to him and wrapped an arm around his waist.

Yet Aang seemed oblivious to what she was inkling at, as he asked, "Like what?"

Katara only sighed as they kept going.

* * *

_**AN**: Thanks for all the continued support everyone, it's really appreciated!_


	29. Advice

**Advice**

Katara yelped as she felt her backside collide with the solid ground beneath her without an ounce of mercy to her tail-bone. She turned around to verbally slap the person responsible, only to see a smiling Aang past the settling dust.

"Aang!" she yelled out his name in annoyance, "Why did you just airbend my feet out from under me?"

This made him tilt his head to the side as his grin widened.

"Because Toph told me to."

Katara sighed before she stood up, dusting herself off. "Toph told you to make me fall on by butt?" she asked.

"Well..." Aang drifted off as a sudden blush came on, "I kinda asked her how to make you like me more."

"And she answered with 'make her feel pain' or something like that? Figures."

"No; she said to '_just whisk her off of her feet by being yourself._' It was a little difficult to understand, but I got it in the end. By be myself Toph means be an airbender and use my ability to, you know, sweep you off your feet! Ta-Da!"

Katara stared at him for a long moment as he grinned in anticipation before a giggle came out. That giggle quickly evolved into a full out laughter.

"So it worked!" Aang said in excitement as he began bouncing on the balls of his feet once Katara had gotten a hold of herself.

Taking the few steps to be right in front of him, she gave him a tight hug and said, "I suppose it did a little."

"Only a little?" Aang asked from her embrace in slight disappointed, yet his hands came up to circle her frame as well.

"Well... think about it a little more."

"But I'm the Avatar - wisdom is all I know!"

"Don't worry; you're doing what Toph really means already."


	30. Advice II

**Advice II**

Toph's face split into a smirk. All that concentrating on the couple had been worth it; listening to their hearts go into overdrive when they held each other close was priceless.

Sokka, who was sharpening his boomerang next to her, saw the sudden change and raised an eyebrow in apprehension. Whenever she made that expression it usually resulted in pain for him - either mental or physical. They both hurt equally as much.

"What?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Oh nothing," she said breezily as her smirk increased.

"You did something just now didn't you," Sokka accused as he waved his boomerang towards her face.

"None of your business."

"It so is!" the water tribe teenager said as he stood with a start, "Is there some trap I'm about to fall into?"

Feeling his head shake this way, Toph sighed before taking her own advice.

And while Aang had gotten Katara to give him a hug and make both their heartbeats to skyrocket, Sokka simply groaned from the ground in defeat.

Toph thought both outcomes were quite satisfactory. Damn was she good.


	31. Heavy

**Heavy**

Katara is scared.

Katara is scared that she is weighing Aang down.

Because he is the Avatar, of course he has to continue flying around the world and maintaining the peace that everyone is afraid will break. The riots and conspiracies are like weeds, they pop up unknowingly and it takes a great pull or force to kill them. And that force seems to always have to be the Avatar himself.

She misses him, and she knows that he misses her too because when he comes back he springs into her arms. And he just stays there for a long moment, relishing in her warmth and affection, before he brings his head up and smiles at her. He says hello and they kiss and she feels her head go to the clouds.

They had decided to stay with Zuko in his palace in the fire nation for some time, to show how much they really trust the new Fire Lord and how the people of the world should too. Sokka and Toph are staying with them as well, and their company greatly helps when she feels alone when Aang was traveling.

She feels like she is holding Aang down, because she feels like she is bringing herself down with these feelings. Of wanting to take him away, to whisk him to the Southern Air Temple and his home and just live there. Away from everyone they don't want to see or hear from, away from all the complaints and whining of the world and unsupportive glares.

The teenager is ashamed at how jealous, how controlling she wants to be with him. How she doesn't feel like sharing the arrowed boy with anyone but herself and her yearning heart.

Katara doesn't want him to fly.

Katara doesn't want him to fly away from her.

So she holds onto his sleeves and his hands and his lips, and keeps him stuck with her. She keeps him grounding with her clinging love. Just like when she had to grab onto his glider in moments of need in the beginning, she keeps him from flying too far or high away with her dead weight.

But then she realizes that he might feel trapped, feel too confined in her wants and feelings that she barely has control of herself.

For a while she tries to not hold his hand so often, to not show such happiness when he comes back. It seems to do the opposite of what's desired, as rather than him getting fonder of her without the affection, he seems to distance himself.

And one night he asks her why, with downcast eyes, she was changing. He asks her what he has done wrong. Why it isn't the same and why she won't smile so wide anymore.

The waterbender can't help it, the tears just spill out and she grabs onto his shoulders for support. And she tells him; she tells him how afraid she was and how she knows he can't go far or fly high with her. Because, no matter where he goes, he comes back to her. She is making him go against his nomad way of life and making him attached to something worldly.

But then something amazing happens, and it is all from a simple kiss. It's soft and like the wind and so light Katara thinks she has imagined it at first, but when she opens her eyes she sees his face right next to hers.

Aang explains that he doesn't care or even notice, and says that without an anchor (without her) he would have blown away into the never-ending blinding sky a long time ago.

He is so convinced in himself, and she wishes she could be like that too. But she can't, as she knows she isn't a good anchor. Because she is water, and water is constantly changing and slinking into new crevices. And her feelings are still changing, are still maturing and every time he glides off it hurts more.

She wants to be with him, she wants to be weightless. But she can't; she can feel glimpses of it in their kisses and embraces. When he isn't with her, when they're not touching and laughing, she is a rock.

Katara still worries.

Katara still worries as she sits and waits.


	32. Convenience

**Convenience**

Aang wasn't accustomed to things turning out good or beneficial just because luck had allowed it to be like that. He wasn't used to things just happening and finding any enjoyment from it.

But that changed.

After the war had ended, Zuko had asked for them all to stay at the palace with him for the most part, for the spring and winter seasons. They could travel where they wanted to have free time from the political meetings and gatherings in the summer and part of the fall as a reward and to revel in the peace they'd worked so hard to accomplish. It was a good deal, and all four of them agreed to it.

Although Katara and Sokka were a little disappointed that they couldn't go to their home in the dead of winter, which they said was actually really refreshing (And thought they were crazy, what was 'refreshing' about feet upon feet of snow?), they enjoyed it in the fall all the same. Naturally, they pulled along their other two close companions along with them.

Toph didn't like the cold and the ice, the ground so far below it made her feel a little lost. But Sokka seemed willing to help her, just like Katara was willing to help Aang become accustomed to the culture.

He liked the weather and people well enough, he found himself enjoying it, if not only because of Katara's constant words of praise. Except for the guys of similar ages; the ones that would grin and wave at Katara as she was at the market, or helping build the city with her amazing waterbending. She, of course, was too naïve and dense to realize the root of their interest.

But the airbender did, and he didn't like it. He didn't want to seem possessive or angry at nothing, but he was still worried.

Then luck and fortune shined on him; literally. Because Katara's necklace she'd inherited and still wore every day that glimmered in the sun made those boys turn away with downcast eyes.

Aang knew it was a misunderstanding, she wasn't engaged (yet). But he just couldn't find the heart to go out of his way to solve something so small. And who was he to tell others what to think, when he walked with her holding hands or being arm-in-arm and pulled her close to steal a kiss. It seemed if you were engaged to the girl, PDA wasn't such a problem.

And he felt a little wicked, when he was finally sixteen and allowed to marry her, when the boys noticed and seemed to spit fire at how her necklace had changed. But she was still with the bald arrow-headed boy – how was that possible?

She had blinked those entrancing blue eyes a few time before explaining that she wasn't really engaged before; the first necklace was a heirloom. The necklace she now wore Aang had made, and she was now legitimately engaged.

Aang would then take the opportunity to grab her arm and resume whatever they'd been doing or walking off to, innocently whistling a merry tune as he did.

Life sure was good sometimes; it had a way or working everything out.


	33. Forever Young

**Forever Young**

He'd gone first; had simply passed away in his sleep one uneventful day.

The world continued to turn with Katara on it and the peace stayed. It seemed that in his death peace was more refined and pushed than ever, to respect what he put his whole life to restore and relive.

The funeral had been bigger than the first post-war celebration of peace and order. With all their children and grand-children, Katara had shaken hands with frail fingers and had tried not to cry so much. She would have just waterbended them away, but Aang seemed to have taken so much of her strength with him.

She continued on, sometimes cursing the longevity that water tribe people held. In that time she watched her children age more and four more grand-children graced the earth. They were beautiful, and there had been a pair of twins. One had had his eyes, the other hers. When she saw their eyes as she helped deliver them, so young and so lively with their cries, she felt herself cry like at the funeral.

Slowly, as she saw the new Avatar rise with all her power and her friends pass away to join her husband, she began to feel more and more alone.

Katara suddenly found herself void of friends she could truly relate to. She kept herself occupied with teaching waterbending and giving inspiration to passing by people, some coming to the South Pole solely to hear her stories of heroics and love. She helped raise her grandchildren with her still-frail hands and wide smiles.

When her own time came, she let her last breath out with relief.

She was finally going to see Aang again.


	34. Forever Young II

_AN: I couldn't help but want to write more of this… I'm such a sap. Really, just read what's below._

* * *

**Forever Young II**

Katara is surprised to have gone to bed covered in fur blankets only to wake up in a field of grass, looking down at her no-longer shaking, wrinkled skin but at a youthful body and hands.

Looking up, she sees a bright blotch of orange and yellow standing on a nearby hill. She can't see his face or any real definition, but she doesn't need to. She knows who it is already by the swell in her chest.

She gets up and runs, runs like she hasn't done in years, towards him as he does the same. They collide more than meet, and they wrap their arms around each other, because she's grasping for reality.

"Where am I?" Katara asks into his chest before pulling up to see his face.

"In the spirit world," Aang says with a grin that splits his face. He looks just like he did when they were married, young and glowing and entirely happy. His eyes seem more like bright silver than grey, but the color of his arrows is still that sky blue.

"What do we do here?" she can't help but ask.

"Spend the rest of eternity together," he laughs as he brings her close to him.

"I see you're as romantic as ever," she manages to get out through her wide smile.

"I'm really only telling the truth, like I always have," Aang says through a smile as well.

"Hey!"

At the new voice, Katara turns her head to see her brother and Toph standing on a hill, holding hands and similarly young.

"Don't hog her to yourself, Twinkle Toes!" Toph calls as she begins sprinting over, hauling a grinning Sokka along with her.

As they hug and are reunited once again, Katara didn't think she would have been able to cry in the Spirit world. But she does, and the sobs come deep from her chest and seem to echo out in this new world.


	35. Chose Wisely

**Chose Wisely**

"What's the element you like me bending the most?"

Katara blinked at the question before she tilted her head to the side in thought and said, "You know, I've never really given thought to that. I think you're amazing for all of them."

"I know it's not fire," Aang said first with confidence.

"No, fire's alright. It's hot and passionate and a life in itself," Katara answered; she had forgiven him so long ago for that one misstep she had forgotten.

"Well then, probably not water," Aang continued on, "Since it's your element and you must like bending it more than watching it."

"I like it when we waterbend together," she said with a small smile as she moved closer to him, "It's special and I always look forward to it."

"Is it air then?" he opted for with hopeful grey eyes.

She gave a noncommittal hum before she tapped her chin and said, "Earthbending."

"What?" Aang asked with his mouth agape, "But earthbending is so strict and harsh and choppy."

"I think how you're able to move huge rocks with the flick of a wrist is amazing," Katara giggled like a little girl and not the teenager she was, "And the way your face is so concentrated, it's kind of adorable."

"So when earthbending I look both intimidating and adorable; that's why you like it the most. You make a great point there, Katara," Aang laughed.

"I don't know, it's hard to explain," she said as she bit her bottom lip for a moment, "It's just incredibly sexy."

When she looked over and saw that he had his face ducked in a blush, she laughed.

_Nearby…_

"See? I told you, now pay up," Toph ordered as she flipped a palm up and faced her fellow teenager.

"Aw man!" Sokka groaned in frustration behind their bush, "I was so sure it was going to be fire!"

"Because of that cheesy time Aang said he had flames of passion for her?" Toph said with a snort.

Sokka glared at her a moment, his thought process having obviously been caught, before handing her over his bag of seal jerky; "You scam everyone, don't you?"

* * *

_AN: I don't even know. I really have no explanation for you guys._


	36. The Truth

**The Truth**

Katara looked at the young man in front of her; or, more specifically, looked _up_ at him.

Aang's eyebrows were quirked and he was silently wondering what had his girlfriend in such annoyance; had he done something wrong? He had only just said good-morning to her and given her a hug; how could he have done something she didn't like?

Truthfully, it was Aang she was annoyed at, but it wasn't something he could control.

Because Katara was annoyed at his height.

"Go back to your short, little kid self," she said after a lengthy silence, crossing her hands over her chest as if to emphasis her disappointment at his physical self.

The airbender blinked at her before a smile stretched over his face; "Why, you don't like how I've grown?"

She looked down at his large hands, at his toned chest (he really did have a problem of wearing shirts) and then at his eyes that seemed as alight and energetic from the first time they'd met; when she'd saved him from ice and loneliness. True, he was now more handsome than cute and usually she'd enjoy that; just not at this nostalgic moment.

Just last night she had looked at a portrait painting of them barely a week after the war had ended, where she was definitely taller than him and they had looked so adorable.

"I want my little Aangie back," she continued to sniff, "It was so much fun to hug you and make you all flustered."

"Oh, I see what this is all about," he said with a roll of his eyes, "You don't like being treated the younger one, like the kid."

"I am not a kid!" she said back in defiance.

"But when I hug you," he said as he brought his arms around her and her face towards his collarbone with a half-squeak, "You fit against me like _you're_ the younger one."

"Well, at least you're as immature as back then," she said with a sigh as she brought her arms up around him.

He hummed for a moment, and she giggled at the vibration, before he asked, "Did you ever figure out why I got all flustered?"

She shook her head and Aang had to resist chuckling from the ticklish sensation of her hair on his skin.

"It was because my face aligned with your chest _perfectly_."

She reeled back in legitimate shock before saying with a upward quirk of her lips, "Alright, now I really want my little Aang back!"

"He never even existed," Aang laughed as he swept his head down to catch her lips with his.

* * *

_AN: This is kinda similar to Cute Casanova but I posted it anyway; I hope you guys didn't mind XD_


	37. Guardian

**Guardian**

Even though he's an animal and not a human, Appa is wise and sees things they miss; he's always there in any times of need.

He was the one who picked Aang just as Aang had picked him; he had chosen to go and run away with Aang. The young boy hadn't roped him into anything, he had willingly flown the two of them away. Maybe it was his animalistic instincts, but he felt (in one of his five stomachs) that running away was right.

And he was there when Aang fell in love.

He knew he was the first one to see it; to see Aang's eyes and voice light up at her face and smile. Appa knew what it meant even before the boy, the person in love, did.

The flying arrowed-beast watched, when he wasn't busy chaperoning the chatty monkey and idiotic oaf from getting any hooks stuck in his fingers, how they would talk and interact with each other.

How Aang's eyes always trailed after her; how she would secretly smile at the attention.

Appa tried to help his often flailing partner, urging him with yells of encouragement whenever he said or did something wrong. Somehow, that girl always seemed to understand and forgive him, even when he didn't say a word and solely gave a small, sorry smile.

He was happy at seeing Aang so happy, so weightless in love and attention as he finally got her. When he was finally able to grab her hand and heart.

Appa always has, and always will be, there to help.

* * *

_AN: Hells yeah Appa is a Kataang shipper. Don't even question it._


	38. Guardian II

**Guardian II**

Appa loved each and every one of the group, even though he had to haul all their weight around the world constantly. He had learned patience, even if he wasn't so much older than his lovable Aang, who was one of the most immature humans he'd come across. He, honestly, wouldn't have it any other way.

But sometimes, in this instance, there were times when Appa got annoyed. One of the things that bothered him the most was not spending time with his rider; this was one of them. And it was all because of this blue-eyed girl.

"Come on, Appa!" Katara yelled at him, "I haven't had time to be with him for nine days_, nine days_!"

Appa roared right back, trying to stress that it was the same for him. Aang had been cooped up in the fire palace and Zuko had refused to let him go before everyone came to an agreement. Zuko had said no distractions; his flying partner and girlfriend fit exactly into that.

"Appa has a good point, Katara," Aang said as he patted his friend's nose, "I haven't seen him in that time either."

As the white beast nudged Aang in thanks, Katara argued, "But I'm your girlfriend!"

"But Appa is my spirit animal, he's my best friend."

"I thought I was your best friend!"

"You are! But, in a different sense," Aang tried to back wheel.

"I can't believe this," Katara huffed to the sky, "You're picking your bison over me!"

Appa roared right in her face, causing her hair to be spiked back from the vocal force. The pretty teenager's face snarled up in warning, and Aang knew to jump in and intervene; he had only been doing it for the past few days in that stuffy room anyway.

"Alright, alright guys; you're just tense and frustrated because you haven't seen me, not because you don't like each other."

The two different specie individuals continued to glare at the other.

"Why don't we compromise?" the young airbender offered, "How about we all have a nice, long fly together?"

"We'll be able to cuddle?" Katara asked in hope as she finally turned away from Appa.

Appa groaned in a similar tone, his fluffy ears perked in interest.

"See? Won't you both be happy with that?" he asked in hope.

Not a minute later and Aang airbended himself and Katara onto his beast's head and yelled out in excitement 'Yip-yip!'

While Appa darted off into the sky and felt Katara move even closer to his caretaker, the beast couldn't help but let out a bellow of elation. He had always known he would have to share Aang with this special girl one day (he had helped them in certain instances even) but that didn't mean he had to make it easy.

* * *

_AN: Stop flying around in my head Appa; let me have other ideas! Totally different view on the last, but I thought I'd connect them *shrugs*_


	39. You Are What You Love

**You Are What You Love**

She smiles up at the sky above her; the sunlight playing on her skin warming her more than just the physical way. Her smile only widens when a cool arm lays across her stomach. The young woman feels a light breath against her ribs.

"Katara, shouldn't we go back now?" Aang asks, although he keeps his arm over her and doesn't make any move to get up.

She hums vaguely and the airbender finds himself chuckling. Then Aang says, "You're acting like Momo."

"How so?" she finally asks, and he smiles close to her skin.

"All he does lately is lay in the sun; he's gotten really lazy."

She doesn't say anything for a little, only giving out a breath of laughter, before she twists off her back and faces him. Aang moves his arm to follow, his hand sitting against her hip and eyes opening to see hers are still closed.

"Well," she sighs as she places a hand around his own bare waist, "Momo is one wise creature."

Aang grins wide before he laughs, pulling their bodies closer. They lie next to each other like that, in their damp waterbending clothes with their faces turned no longer up at the sun, but at each other.

"This is what I fought for," Aang sighs into her collar bone, so softly Katara almost misses it in her lethargic mindset.

"You've brought peace to everyone, Aang," she reminds as she blinks open her eyes and brushes a kiss on the tip of his nose.

He smiles, now against her skin, and says, "I didn't only fight for the peace; I fought for you. I fought for this, for us to just be happy and lazy and stupid."

"You mean to be in our youth?" she jokes as their eyes connect. He laughs for the countless time.

"Yeah; I fought for our lost childhoods."

* * *

_AN: I, surprisingly, kinda like how this turned out (probably because I love fluff). Honestly, it turned out different from what I'd intended, but I think it was for the best. Happy New Year everyone and mind reviewing?_


	40. Solitude Is Bliss

**Solitude Is Bliss**

Aang watches her dance, watches her fly.

She spins and twirls, hands above and fingers splayed to show emotion that her face hides. She is light on her feet and her long, draping skirt (that shows a good amount of bronze skin at certain angles or when it furls up) makes him fist his hands; he resists the urge to touch her.

He can see her blue eyes sparkle in delight at captivating him in such a way no other can. In this private show he is all she cares about as he is enthralled because of that. He notes how the chains of beads that hang from her neck, wrist and ankles click and move with her, but he can't give much heed to them. Aang is too entrapped in how she's doing this for him; only him.

Finally, she falls in front of him and she allows the first smile of the night to show. Her breath is heavy from it all; her hair, that came undone from all the twirst and turns, is a mirror reflection of herself: wild and alive.

Aang doesn't think twice; he pulls her close and kisses her softly.

He tries to show her, as he moves his lips against hers, that he can dance for her as well.


	41. Responsibilities

**Responsibilities**

Katara lies awake some nights just listening to her airbender's soft breathing.

He had always seemed to strong; even when he had been twelve and she looked down to see stormy eyes of determination. His hands, even though they had been smaller than hers for a time, had always seemed so steady. She had barely ever seen them shake or falter.

She almost wishes she could have seen him defeat the past Fire Lord, to see him so strong and invincible. Because it's times like these, where the night is dead and quiet, that she worries to the point of obsessiveness.

She hears his heartbeat and it suddenly sounds so soft, so featherlike and breakable. Katara watches as his chest rises and falls, his ribs showing and tanned skin stark against the light pale of his winding tattoos.

This man, he still only seems like a boy to her at times. A boy who's small and fragile and who might become a casualty, even with all his courage and resolve.

His heartbeat is enveloped in the darkness and his breath is just a small breeze. He is nothing like the strong Avatar everyone believes him to constantly be. Katara sees him so vulnerable, so weak in his slumber and is so honored and frightened by it. Honored in how he loves and trusts her so much; scared with the power and pressure she has.

She has always put him back together when he cracks, when he had been unsure and afraid. She was there with her reassuring touch and words, doing more help than any of her healing waterbending sessions had. And now she lies next to him nightly, enveloping him in her lips and limbs and willingly loves him; she gets more than enough love in return.

Katara knows it will always be her duty to be with him, just like his duty is to protect and keep the world in harmony.

He is the most powerful being, but she is just as much so because of these moments. The moments where she'll take him in her arms and breathe life into him through her kisses, make him feel alive and young and able.

She hears her own heartbeat sometimes too when she begins thinking about everything they've been through. It's just as soft and fast as Aang's and that makes her smile.

Because if they're similar in at least this aspect and they've both made it this far, she knows they can keep going.

If they just keep breathing, if their hearts keep beating that unbreakable rhythm, Katara hopes they won't break.

So she listens to his inhale, exhale, and attempts to feel reassured.

* * *

_AN: Yesh; love the sap._


	42. Lazy Days

**Lazy Days**

Toph yelled out a groan as she sat up to face two of her friends.

"Will you two _stop_ that?"

Aang and Katara, the ones apparently being addressed, blinked at the other; Sokka raised an eyebrow.

"What's your problem Toph? They're just sitting there," the eldest of the group pointed out, even going as far as to gesture to his sister and airbender who were, indeed, just lounging on the couch aside of the other. Sure, their legs were overlapping and tangled a little in the short furniture bit, but it wasn't something to yell about.

"That's because you don't see how I see," the master earthbender managed to get out through grit teeth; "Their heartbeats are so fast right now it's giving me a headache from all the frantic, constant vibrations! Stop doing your stupid, silent flirting so I can take one decent nap!"

The two benders looked at each other before looking away with blushes Toph couldn't see, but feel, evident.

"Great," she sighed as she flopped back down; "Now it's just worse."

"Wait, what's going on?" Sokka asked in confusion as he scratched his head with his boomerang.

"Twinkle Toes and Sugar Queen over there are getting all flustered just by sitting next to each other and playing footsies; sickening."

"I'm not-!" two voices started to yell in unison, only to stop when hearing the other. They glanced away again, rubbing their neck and hair (respectively) in chagrin and didn't make an effort to say anything else.

"I don't know who's more pathetic in this," Sokka sighed as he understood and slumped forward onto the intricate maps in front of him, rumpling their twisting lines of ink.

"You don't know the half of it," Toph grunted.

* * *

_AN: If they had to lounge around that house in Ba Sing Se for so many days doing nothing, what do you think was going on? This is my idea._


	43. Connect

**Connect**

I sighed, but the whipping wind passing all around me made the sound disappear as soon as I'd let it out. On my back, I looked up at the passing clouds, and then across at Toph and Sokka; she had an arm looped around one of his while a bag of jerky sat between the two of them. They seemed to be animatedly bickering (probably about something unnecessary) but I looked back up at the passing sky; it seemed more interesting at the moment.

It was just another travel day, but it suddenly seemed so heavy; so taxing and boring. To just lie here and do nothing, just feel unnecessarily useless. I sighed again but decided to finally sit up, grunting a little from the effort.

Moving over to the front of the saddle, I looked down to Aang who was, as almost always, at the reigns. Even if it was unintentional, the way his back was slightly slumped and how his arms weren't up to hold the rope, just having his arms rest against his crossed legs, made him seem so fractured. It made me frown.

Standing up, I glanced over to Sokka and Toph and gestured that I was just going to go see Aang. They didn't give any attention to me, they were still too busy stuffing their faces and making sarcastic quips.

Rolling my eyes in reflex, I carefully threw my leg over the saddle and then crawled over to Aang; my hands were tight against the fur in fear of falling to the ocean below. When I finally made it to sit down next to him, he jumped a little in surprise before relaxing and giving a small smile.

I returned it, and found myself a little disappointed that it wasn't as wide as I'd hoped it to have been.

"What's up, Katara?" he asked me as he turned back to the vast area before us.

I opened my mouth, only to find that I really didn't have a solid answer. I opted for, "Not much. You seemed a little lonely up here."

His smile widened, but it seemed more from bitter amusement than happiness. "I'm just a little tired, that's all," he said.

I looked at his carefully controlled face and then to the headband across his forehead; at the gloves and boots that hid his arrows.

But then there was a glimpse. From the wind whipping that small, barely-two inch blue on his neck would show. His collar was high so usually it was hidden but in this flying, it was flapping and revealing the refreshing color.

I felt my lips curve into a smile without thought and I reached out to touch the small sliver of his true nature he was being forced to hide.

He tensed for a moment at my touch before looking over, eyes wide in what I viewed to be confusion and something I couldn't fully identify.

"I know all this hiding and sneaking around must be so hard on you," I say loud enough so the wind won't swallow up my voice; "But it's for the greater good. Believe me."

He nodded mutely. His face was still on the passing ocean and sky and for some reason, and that made my smile seem heavy. Why wasn't he looking at me, like he usually did, when I was talking to him?

Sure, he had run away barely a week ago and seemed quiet, almost detached to the world around. Maybe that small sliver of blue was enough for me to give me hope, but it didn't seem enough for him. So, quickly making up my mind quickly, I reached out again and undid the headband. I made sure to grasp it so it wouldn't fly away before bringing it back with my retracting hand.

His face immediately snapped from the plain view to me, a hand flying up and feeling around his hair, as if to check that I did, indeed, just take his headband. He opened his mouth and I knew he was going to ask why, so I saved him the effort and talked first.

"We're traveling," I said before I shrugged; "You don't need to cover up your arrow all the time, you know."

When he smiled wide, those dimples and teeth flashing, I felt my cheeks feel a little warm. To distract myself, I looked down at the headband and swiftly wrapped it around my wrist a few times before tying it off.

I lifted it to his face and said, "I'll give it back to you when we land, alright?"

"Thanks, Katara," he said as he lifted an arm, asking if it was alright to hug.

My smile felt light again as I leaned forward and agreed to the comforting action. I could hear him sigh from the close proximity and it didn't sound like it was from stress; it sounded like it was from relaxation.

He was, surprisingly, the one to first pull apart after a few long, warm moments of shared heat and camaraderie.

I flashed another smile and stood to leave, but he grabbed my wrist before I even sat up.

I looked across at him with an eyebrow quirked and he stumbled for a few minutes to create any coherent words before he managed to get out, "I actually was a little lonely. Mind keeping me company?"

I blinked in shock for a second before I sat back down.

"Sure; I'd like that," I said and hoped my cheeks wouldn't heat up again.

Aang let go of my wrist, but he kept his fingers close to mine as he leaned back. There was only a few inches of fur between our fingers brushing, and it made me give out a breath of giddy laughter.

* * *

_AN: I don't know… the thought of that small part of his arrow showing made me start this, and it got a little out of control. Did you guys like? I don't really like writing in first person, so I'm still a little iffy on this. It was a change up in writing though, so that was nice. Review?_


	44. Don't Look Down or Back

**Don't Look Down or Back**

Katara knows Aang has been through so much; she was there at his side almost the entire time. He's gone through pain that no one his age, even as he gets older and wiser, should have to go through.

He had to take on an entire power-hungry nation with only a few friends and allies. He had to bear the loss of his entire culture, almost everyone he ever knew and loved in his past world, in silence. Katara says 'world' instead of life because, to her and him, it was an entirely other world. It wasn't just a different time, it was an entirely different situation and place. One that hadn't been torn and burned by war.

And Aang had to harbor all that grief and strife inside, had to hold it down until peace was restored and the weight of the world was a little less on his still-growing shoulders. After months of running for his life, he had been able to go back and grieve. To bury the bodies and place flowers on the numerous, lined graves.

Katara tries to help in every way she can, to heal him beyond her waterbending abilities. But there are some things she can't do. Yet there are some things she can prevent.

One of those is heartbreak.

She doesn't need any reinforcement for loving him, but at the thought of making him so lost and devastated by breaking up and leaving him behind- it makes her own eyes water. She can't imagine the pain it would put him. To have the first person he'd latched onto in this world leave him, too.

So when they argue, she always keeps in mind that they will always (always) make up. They won't leave each other; she can't leave him, he will not leave her. There's nothing infuriating enough that they can say to each other before sprinting back to the other's arms, lips meeting with their hands and hearts.

She doesn't want him to go through that pain, and neither does she. He saved the world, her world. In return she'll make a new one for him.

She will shower affection on him. She will soak him with love. Katara will positively drown him in enamor.

And Aang, in turn, will continued flying them up to the sky, weightless without grief.

* * *

_AN: Just a thought that came to me when I thought of how Katara is Aang's first and last love :)_


	45. Imagine That

**Imagine That**

Toph had been enjoying just lying on the flat rock surface, her almost entirely bare body open and laid out for the sun to tick against her skin. While she couldn't see, or even really imagine what the sun looked like, she enjoyed the heat it brought on her skin all the same.

When she heard a scurried, heavy-stepped runner approach closer to her, she didn't mind covering up as she knew who it was.

"Toph!" Katara yelled from below the rock face, "I really need to talk to you!"

The earthbender realized that she was garbed in her waterbending bindings and such, and her body felt a little cooler; she had obviously been waterbending.

"Take a second to breath and then come up here; I don't want your frenzied attitude to disturb my sunbathing," Toph said, not moving a muscle.

The older teenager groaned before she began to climb the rock face, and soon she was at the top of it, the flat surface hot against her bare feet.

"Now lie down," Toph continued to order, and Katara continued to oblige.

Once the water tribe girl was lying down, holding up a hand to her eyes to shield out the sun, and her heartbeat had lessoned a little bit, Toph asked, "So what's got your underwear in a bind?"

Katara took a shallow breath at the simple question; she had to take another, deeper one, to say, "Aang and I were waterbending just now and I noticed something."

"What? That you two are ridiculous when you're flirting with water?"

"We don't look ridiculous!"

"Or is that you two giggle like you're twelve and fourteen again?"

"Urgh! I'm trying to ask for your help, Toph!" Katara yelled out as she raised her other hand, using the heels to rub at her eyes.

"You could have just gone to your brother," Toph reminded. It was just the four of them traveling on Appa (like the old, golden days) for this certain diplomatic call and Toph knew that, even if Sokka was a total idiot most of the time, he knew how to handle his sister better than the earthbender.

"No, I can't talk to him about this; I need another girl."

Frowning at the identity title, Toph said, "So what is it you're freaking out about? It can't be that bad."

"It is," Katara said in a whisper, "I just noticed that Aang has…he has a happy trail!"

"You mean a treasure trail?" Toph asked in interest. True, she couldn't see hair that well, but she could detect it sometimes. "Cause, you know, his _jewels_ are down there and all that."

"I don't care what it's called and why," Katara wailed; "He has hair _down there_."

"News flash Katara: he's close to seventeen. Puberty does stuff like that."

"But… but this is Aang we're talking about! Sweet, innocent, _adorable_ Aang!" the waterbender said in slight longing.

"You're kidding me, right?" Toph sighed as she twisted her head to directly face her friend. "You miss that total dork with no muscle or backbone? I don't know if you remember, but he was _shorter_ than you."

"He used to be so cute and now he's all tall and handsome and-"

"Do you hear yourself when you talk?" Toph said with a cackle of partial amusement, but mostly incredulous; "Your boyfriend has finally grown up and is a total stud and you're complaining about it. It's total blasphemy."

"I still like him ("Of course," Toph snorted to herself) and I do appreciate how he's, uh, _grown_," she stumbled and Toph felt her heart jump (oh _great_), "But sometimes I just wish we were kids again."

"You two are still kids," Toph groaned, "Being teenagers doesn't mean you're adults just yet. Just one more step towards having to take full responsibility for everything you do. But you're both used to responsibilities, unlike you idiot brother."

When Katara sighed again and sat in silence for a few moments, not even smiling at Toph's condescending joke, the earthbender knew something really was off.

"So, are you really just freaking out about the hair, or is it that deeper problem of feeling old?" Toph asked.

"Well, I'm also worried about another thing," Katara admitted.

Toph groaned for the innumerable time in their short conversation, but said regardless, "Fine, just tell me now."

"Well, if he's getting older and stuff," Katara said quietly, "Does that mean he's going to have more hormones? I mean, if we have to kiss any more I'm going to have no free time."

When Katara looked aside for advice with an imploring face, Toph let out a groan of frustration that had the rock surface trembling. Toph truly believed in instances, like right now, that she should have been born as a guy.

* * *

_AN: I wanted to do one where Katara and Toph talk, but I don't know about this. It's stupid and crazy XP and for some reason I really like the idea of Katara having more problems with Aang's puberty than him :9_


	46. The Real World

**The Real World**

Sometimes Katara's head gets ahead of her and she imagines things she wishes she could just lock away forever and never reminisce.

Her mind makes her think of that night were his life would have been lost if not for that small, inconspicuous amount of water. Or, somehow (almost impossibly so) worse, was that day when Aang went up against The Fire Lord and could have died. Then she would have never been able to make up for what she had said to him that night of the play.

He could have died and left her with all these healing abilities with no one to use it on. He would have left her wondering what could and should have happened. She knew she would have left him in death wondering where he went wrong.

Aang finds her crying sometimes and seems to understand what she's going through; sometimes he imagines what it would have been like if she had died and he'd never been able to hold her, to kiss and love her.

Because there were times when it seemed too real to bear, too real to imagine surviving physically (she had given up surviving it mentally the day her Mom had died). Little things could have gone wrong to make th entire picture, their entire world, destroyed.

But they didn't die and they didn't perish, and they are reminded of that every time they hold each other, with each heartbeat they hear from the other. They are reminded that they're alive and in love whenever they look into each other's wide eyes.

And when their child is born they know everything is right; everything turned out like it was supposed to.

* * *

_AN: There's so many stories where Aang/Katara dies. I'm so thankful that it never happened in canon; so very happy that I made this clichéd and generic drabble. BOO me. Oh well, thanks for reading and reviews are loved!_


	47. Undisclosed Make Up

**Undisclosed Make Up**

His name was light like his element; it was only one syllable that could easily ring true and carry through the wind.

There weren't any heavy letters or pronunciation holding even his name down; the brush strokes to make his name didn't hold down the tongue or furrow a brow. He wasn't named after anyone to continue a legacy; there wasn't even any real meaning to his name. There was something about his name, though. It's uniqueness was how it held nothing (a fact that was often left unseen).

The boy didn't mind at not being able to talk much about his name; it was concise and clean. It made people and friends remember it easily, if his cheery and optimistic personality didn't do the trick.

Or, this was all true until he got a new title that the entire world, not just the air, would call out.

Avatar.

It was too heavy, too controlled and used before. It wasn't his name; it wasn't who he was. It was something hundreds of heros, and unnamed thousands, of others had held and been addressed as. It was an identity that was so mixed it had lost its meaning to the individuals.

Katara was someone who fundamentally understood this; her name was like his new title.

It was heavy and it took time to remember and get accustomed to; it wasn't so simple that it could be breathed out in a moment. Hers was the type of name that was sobbed out; the last syllable would allow for some anger to seep through while the first syllable could easily break glass if said with a snap.

His name wasn't heavy enough to hold anything - nothing held it down. Hers was buried in ice and snow and tradition of 'k's and ending 'a' names.

The savior of the world tries to tell others his real name; his companion tries to forget what hers is.

He thinks his new title is a curse while her name is exactly that definition.

They both wonder when they'll escape titles and finally hear themselves.


	48. Deductive Reasoning

**Deductive Reasoning**

When Sokka walked into the room, Katara frowned when Aang quickly airbended a little further away from her and allowed some space between their sitting bodies. True, her brother had threatened a beating if Aang tied to get 'too close' but she was pretty sure he meant in a different sense than just how close they sat to each other.

"So, I've decided," the swords wielder said as he stood in front of the couple and stroked an invisible beard, "That you two _do_ fit each other quite well."

Toph, who had been sitting with her feet propped up, asked with interest, "Really now? What tipped you off; how they're always smiling and goofing off with the other? How their heartbeats and body temperatures skyrocket whenever they're close to the other?"

"Yes; I've come to a very important conclusion," Sokka continued on, as if he hadn't heard the earthbender.

Aang unconsciously leaned a little forward, Katara just rolled her eyes and Toph lifted an eyebrow.

"For, I've discovered that you two work because Katara has enough hair to make up for Aang's total lack of it. If you're together, the hair ratio is balanced."

Aang fell accidentally fell off the couch, Katara sighed in non-surprise and Toph cackled.

"Our _hair_ Sokka; _really_?" the waterbender master asked as she gave a hand for Aang to grab onto.

"Think about it," he said with gusto, "You have a crazy ocean amount of it and Aang is just…bald."

"I'm not bald, I shave it off," Aang said with a frown as he plopped back down on the cushions.

"Whatever old man," Sokka verbally and physically waved off; "Sometimes I forget how great a detective I am for figuring out phenomenons like this."

"Oh yes, you're deductive skills exceeds you," Toph quipped; "Only second to your drawing skills."

* * *

_AN: Sokka's knowledge is like canon: UNQUESTIONABLE!_


	49. 100 Kataang Theme Sentences  Part I

_AN: So I wanted to do something special to end off this series of drabbles and fluff, so I decided to do the 100 Kataang themes in one-sentence form. And because 100 is actually a pretty big number (even when representing something small like a sentence) I've split it up in two. I should warn you, great reader who managed to get this far by some account, that I kinda slap English away at times. This is because I always feel I need to squeeze in more content, even if a sentence is already way too long. So my apologies to people knowledgeable and caring about grammar and correct sentence structure._

* * *

**100 Kataang Theme Sentences - Part I**

001: Color

She always looked for the flush against his cheeks when she was near because it made her feel wanted, it made her feel proud of being herself.

.

002: Wind

Sometimes they would argue and their voices would raise as well as their passions; the ending was alway something that left the trees bare of their leaves.

.

003: Change

After he was named the Avatar Aang didn't like change very much, it was always messing things up; but when Katara started looking like him differently he welcomed it with open arms.

.

004: Chance

"What's the chance of boring me getting awe-inspiring you?" Katara joked but Aang answered seriously, "One-hundred percent since you're just as amazing," which made her clamp up and blush.

.

005: Someday

He simply watches her some nights and for once he isn't worrying about the lives of everyone on this world relying on him; when he watches her he's just worried about her heart and where she places it.

.

006: Walk

Now when they are walking side by side she slides her hand into his and his fingers tighten along with his lips as he smiles.

.

007: Fly

She tells him one day how he's taught her the most important thing in the world; he taught her how to truly believe and take flight with it.

.

008: Believe

Katara wasn't very surprised when Aang said that they would always be together because she thought that too; that didn't mean she always made it easy (because nice is boring after a while and staying the same is really regression).

.

009: Sorrow

When they visit the graves of those lost in battle Katara weeps, but she can't help but smile when she looks at Aang because he's standing right next to her; he's alive and so is she.

.

010: Comfort

Aang tells her that he can't give her a stable home in his need to still travel the world but she doesn't care because, as Katara explains, he himself will bring her all the comfort she needs.

.

011: You and Me

"You and me," Katara said, "We make a good team;" Aang beamed.

.

012: Dream

He will never tell her about the innumerable amount of dreams his brain has spent on her at night; she'll never tell him how he whispers her name when he sleeps sometimes.

.

013: Tear (Cry)

Katara doesn't like others seeing her cry but when she feels his hand on her shoulder, squeezing and keeping her grounded to reality, she is glad that he's there.

.

014: Clouds

When she sees her names sprawled over the sky she is initially embarrassed as others are pointing and gawking before glancing towards her; but when he lands and points with that goofy grin, her anger dissipates in a smile and she just kisses him.

.

015: Rain

Sokka thinks they're crazy when they sprint out at the first sigh of rain and begin skipping around, bending the water towards the other while they giggle.

.

016: Parents

When a traveler had said Katara and Sokka were like his parents Aang had sneered; he knew, even without having a Mother, that you don't feel this way towards her.

.

017: Secrets

Korra always wondered why she enjoyed her time bending with Katara the most, and how gleeful she was when the old master smiled towards her or gave her a hug.

.

018: Silence

At times they sit next to each other without a word because they've already shared how happy they are in each other's presence.

.

019: Fall

She cries for him when he falls down, those cave jewels glittering horribly, because he can't and she cries for him when he comes alive because he's too tired; he cries for both of them when they finally succeed.

.

020: Winter

When the weather begins to get cold and more layers of clothes are brought out, Aang can't wait for the snow to fall; he's getting good at his snow bending and he enjoys creating an army of Katara snow-men to have her get annoyed at.

.

021: Tea

When Katara said she didn't like Aang heating up their tea by firebending he argued that Iroh did it all the time; she argued back that he did it accurately without positively boiling the liquid.

.

022: Wise

People tell Aang that he is wise in his knowledge from his thousands of lives before, but even Aang is clueless to how and why he has all these feelings for her.

.

023: Flowers

When his waterbender offers him a bouquet of panda-lilies, Aang can't help the smile from blossoming.

.

024: Paper

He writes her little notes, little reminders to her so he can tell her things that make his tongue tied; things that he can't say aloud in fear of others (most notably Sokka and Toph) hearing and laughing.

.

025: For Keeps

As Aang lowered his head to kiss her after being dubbed man and wife, he eyed the necklace she wore so proudly on her neck before looking up into his sparkling eyes; Aang wasn't a greedy person but he was glad to have her all for himself now.

.

026: Fight

Sometimes they're happy they argued because the make-up is the best part; it makes the fight worth it.

.

027: Sun

"If I was a blind man, you would be my sun," he says to her one day in a tone that inclines he's saying something of obvious truth; Katara still can't help but laugh at his constant romantic side.

.

028: Gone

Sokka looks at Toph and raises an eyebrow before saying, "What do you mean they're gone?" at to which Toph raised her hands and said, "They're off 'waterbending,'" with a sneer and air-quotes; Sokka gives himself a nice face-palm before bellowing for them to get back to their political duties.

.

029: Wish

As she looks up to the stars, she throws away the notion of wishing on them; Katara has gotten everything she's wanted as her eyes drift over the group around her, finally settling on a certain airbender.

.

030: Moon

Katara sees the glowing, floating orb in the sky and thinks of Sokka and hopes that he's alright and then she reminds herself that she's lost her own first love, Jet, and because of him she's allowed herself to love more; she inclines her head away and knows that her brother be fine as she is.

.

031: Something Better

Aang had always thought they were fine just with the two of them but when that third soul, wrapped in blankets and blinking up owlishly at him, came, he had to change his opinion.

.

032: Follow

They call themselves the Gaang and as a group of equality, but truly they are following Aang's true heart and the hope he brings; in the meantime that big heart follows Katara.

.

033: Leader

"Is it ok for me to tell you that you give me strength with all that you continue to do?" Katara asks in a whisper one night and Aang is speechless.

.

034: Soon

He tells her that he will tell her soon when they arrive in Iroh's tea shop, but she beats him when she brings his lips to hers.

.

035: Bed

When Katara timidly asked if she could stay for the night, Aang had to hold down his grin because he knew she knew he only had one bed - one that was big enough to share.

.

036: Tomorrow

In the war Aang always wondered about situations he might wake up to when he fell asleep but now, in the peacetime, he feels confident that when he slips off in Katara's embrace he'll wake up with her arms still around him.

.

037: Apologize

They don't usually apologize to themselves with words but actions as a tentative wave or a shaky smiles shows their apologetic nature; when the other one grins back confidently all is forgiven.

.

038: Jealousy

"Hey look," Sokka shouted, "They're F_aang_girls!;" Katara frowned.

.

039: Crush

Sokka listened as Aang ranted about his sister and sighed (he thought that Suki was hard to understand) because this poor, bald kid really had his work cut out for him; Katara almost made Avatar work look easy.

.

040: (Dirty) Dancing

While at parties people gush over their dancing, it is only when they are alone when their true talent in moving their bodies together comes out.

.

041: Pain

Katara thinks that she can't go on, but Toph is screaming at her that the head has crowned and she summons up her energy; outside Aang is thinking the same thing and Sokka is sure that if he had hair it would have all been ripped up (leaving him bald as he is now) - when the wail of new life floats through the air everything is worth it all over again.

.

042: Road

Their destinies both were winding and made them go places and become people they never thought they would be and eventually their two paths stopped being so twisted and confused when they merged into one way.

.

043: How High

He asks her how much she cares for him; she points straight up towards the sky and says it's past anything of this world.

.

044: Beauty

Aang tried not to take things from a surface look, but he couldn't stop himself from always thinking how gorgeous Katara looked when she turned to him.

.

045: Admit

"Ok," Katara stated one day, "I admit, I have fallen entirely in love with you."

.

046: Lost

Aang still has nightmares on occasion, horrible ones where it's dark and his throat is closed and he can't see anything around him - he wakes up in a frenzy, kicking the sheets off and screaming; at these times she bolts right up with him and grabs his hand, bringing him away from his fears and back to her.

.

047: Forgiveness

When she forgives him quickly for the burn he gave to her hands, he marvels more at how easily she can internally mend her heart than how she can now heal his own skin.

.

048: (Don't) Let Go

Appa likes to do crazy circles when they fly sometimes since he doesn't have to worry about conserving energy for journeys of seemingly-endless miles; in these maneuvers Aang pats his animal guardian in thanks as Katara is holding onto him like he's her only security.

.

049: Natural

People ask them how their attachment to each other grew and occured and they answer it truthfully: it happened as naturally and unconsciously as breathing.

.

050: Stay

He asks her it silently when the world is silent and hopes that he hears her plea to always be with him, to keep him going and while Aang doesn't know if Katara ever heard him, she's stayed with him none-the less; it's more than he's ever allowed himself to dream for.


	50. 100 Kataang Theme Sentences  Part II

**100 Kataang Theme Sentences - Part II**

051: Lonely

Appa gave a short bellow as Katara came close, a basket of apples stretched out with an apologetic smile; as the multi-legged creature munched on the treats, Appa thought of how she would need to get him more if she was going to keep taking Aang's free time away from him.

.

052: Time

When the war is over, Katara realizes that time is actually her ally now; she doesn't have to race against it as she holds Aang's hand in hers.

.

053: Protect

Katara cries as she carries Aang up like never before because she has failed to protect what makes her able to smile and believe.

.

054: Between

Aang catches glimpses of Katara through Korra and it makes his chest constrict like he was still alive; the Spirit World isn't so bad, but it's much harder to deal with when he knows that Katara is still down there and that they're still apart.

.

055: Future

He is the one that always asks about what fate has in store for them, but Katara shrugs him away; she doesn't care for plans and strategies like her brother.

.

056: Again

When they break apart on the balcony they are both breathless, their hands still clutching onto the other, and then Aang whispers against her neck with a shy smile: "Again."

.

057: Kiss

On their wedding day it is cold at his air temple, but there is warmth in all the people that have come to see their union; when their lips touch it begins to snow and Aang knows that they are truly gifted in this life.

.

058: Tired

Aang comes back from Toph's training (as he really still isn't a master of earthbending) and groans whenever he moves; but he always has the strength to lift his head when Katara offers a kiss.

.

059: Days

When Aang looses track of the time or date Katara grins wide because it means that he's relaxed; it means that he's enjoying the peace they risked their lives and futures for.

.

060: Ahead

Aang sometimes boasts how he's always known he loved her ("Since the first time I opened my eyes and saw you, I'd decided") and Katara doesn't know whether to feel annoyed or awed.

.

061: Behind

Once Katara had tried to sneak up on Aang from behind; when she grabbed onto him, she didn't expect to be propelled hundreds of feet into the air.

.

062: Eyes

While Katara has noted the color of Aang's eyes change, the emotions of dedication and love that show through them are always the same.

.

063: Hide

"You can run but you can't hide!" Katara calls out to Aang who is hiding inside a rock, and it makes the airbender blink in realization of how if he'd heard that not a year ago he'd be ready to attack; he thought, as he waited for her to find him, that peace really did change everything.

.

064: Games

Aang has learned (the hard way) to never challenge Katara to a snow-ball fight because, apparently, she's been practicing her snow-bending and has a dead-accurate aim.

.

065: (In My) Arms

Because airbenders were nomadic in nature (always roaming like their senses of humor), Aang had believed he wouldn't feel at home in one particular spot, but whenever Katara wrapped her arms around him he believed that this was home; this was where he belonged.

.

066: Remember

Sokka asks Toph one day if she remembers when Aang and Katara used to be careful in how they approached the other and she laughs; she informs him that they've always been shameless around each other.

.

067: Imagine

Sometimes Aang wonders what it'd be like if things had turned out differently (if he'd never run away, if Katara hadn't cracked the ice), but then it's too much to handle and he shakes his head.

.

068: Carry me with you

When Aang has to leave for some Avatar duty and Katara is stuck at home, too pregnant to adequately function, he reassures her that she is always with him; she is always in both his heart and mind.

.

069: Worth (it)

Katara frowns deeply as her fingers graze over the lasting scar from Azula, frowning even deeper as she sees the broken blue arrow; Aang takes her hand away and kisses her palm before saying that he doesn't regret anything - he says that it was all worth it.

.

070: Casual

When Toph explains all her casual relationships between friends (well, there are some lifelong ones of course) and lovers alike, Aang and Katara tip their heads in confusion because they've never had that; they were dead serious about the other for as long as they could remember.

.

071: Have it all

Korra looks up to her waterbending master and smiles; Katara answers it as well and, before she states that Korra is a master, says to her: "Do not worry about your life and adventures, for I am sure you will have it all and succeed like you have in the past."

.

072: Sunrise

He rises with the sun while she stays in bed, a mess of hair and sheets; he watches the sunrise but still thinks that the woman he shares his life with is more breathtaking.

.

073: Friends

When Toph shoves the two of them on the dance floor before skipping away, the two look at each other in bewilderment before they smile because, what are friends for if not to push?

.

074: Start

It takes some time, but soon the world is able to regulate it's own peace; Katara is eager because that means Aang will have a life of his own now or, more precisely, a life of his own _with her_.

.

075: Finish

Others around them roll their eyes and groan when the couple begins to easily finish each other's sentences; it wasn't like their love wasn't obvious enough.

.

076: Stand

There were times when Aang's grey eyes were downtrodden into brown in worry, in fear; in those times Katara would attempt to encourage him by reinforcing how she, and the rest, will stand and fight with him, but that only seems to make him worry more.

.

077: Tall

Aang knows Katara gets annoyed with his height at times, so he will crouch down so she can see his wide smile entirely.

.

078: Real

"You must think I'm an idiot if you don't think I see the way you look at my sister," Sokka growls at Aang; to this Aang sighs out, "You just called Katara an idiot because I know _she _doesn't notice."

.

079: Truth

Maybe he always knew, maybe she always knew, how they needed to be together; it didn't matter because eventually they came to the same conclusion together.

.

080: Reflection

Zuko tried to teach Aang about the passion of fire and its ability to breath life into things dead; as he looks at Aang and Katara smile secretly he wonders if his teachings have hit something other than fire-bending.

.

081: Water

"You look a little flushed Aang," Katara says as she straddles him on the soft grass below them and asks,before kissing him: "Do you need some refreshment?"

.

082: Heal

Aang believes that Katara shouldn't be in this war, supporting and healing him when he falls, but he cannot break from her and it shows in his inability to let her go.

.

083: Wound

Katara knows that if Aang leaves her, there will be a wound in her chest even she won't be able to heal.

.

084: Breath In

Aang inhales and exhales and Katara watches his chest rise and fall with interest; she doesn't realize that he's truly not meditating as she's distracting him too much.

.

085: Burn

When he came down from Appa, shivering and lips blue like his arrows, Katara ushered him into her tent and took off his snow-heavy coat with her own parka before latching on; when she pulled away she noted that her body heat hadn't only warmed him, but made his cheeks feel like they were on fire.

.

086: She

Katara had expected when Tenzin had come into the world that she would be perfectly fine as a mother and would need no help at all, but a month in and she was ready to pull her hair out in frustration; so when Aang calmly took him away from her (allowing her to actually sleep for once) Katara realized that no one can do anything truly alone.

.

087: Wait

When Aang sees Katara growing up, so beautiful and so strong, on their travels he wants to tell her to stop, to wait for him.

.

088: Ring

Sometimes Aang's fingers will absently follow the ring of cloth that surrounds Katara's neck before settling on the pendant at the front; Katara will smile in these instances and wrap her arms around him in answer.

.

089: Circle

When Katara sees Aang carve their draw their names with a circle around them in the sand she asks why and he answers with a sly grin; "Circles never end."

.

090: Flow

Even a novice bender knows that one of the main points in waterbending is to naturally let things flow, to let things run its course without interfering; Aang always keeps this point in mind when Katara shies away from things that might tie her down, like his marriage proposal.

.

091: Stability

They fit each other from the way they always made the other grin and laugh; to make the other act like only a fraction of their age.

.

092: Life time

Katara doesn't like the promises Aang makes of how they will stay together forever because she knows, deep down, that nothing is forever; Katara focuses not on the time they will have, but the time they have now.

.

093: One

Toph pokes the child in the stomach, creating a chorus of giggles from the boy, before turning up to the parents and asking, "So, are you going to only have this one?"

.

094: Sense

When people ask Sokka how his sister and the Avatar fell in love, he shrugs and says that they just did and that's all that matters.

.

095: For You

"Your turn," Aang says to Katara when they hear their son cry out, but Katara answers: "No - you go;" Aang sighs and resists the urge to tell her he went last time and gets up.

.

096: Deeper

Aang asks her questions when he is younger about how she feels for him (because he is still shorter, he is still insecure about having a girlfriend he loves too much for his age) and one is how much she feels for him; she turns to him and smiles before whispering: "Deeper than the sea."

.

097: Love

Zuko looked down at the used-to-be pristine fountain in the courtyard, as now it was just a heaping pile of stones and pathetically dripping water; he sighs and massages his temples and wonders when his best friend and girl will learn to grow out of their destructive waterbending flirting.

.

098: Write

Once Sokka had accidentally gotten a letter supposed to be for Katara (because apparently the messenger hawk thought the siblings looked alike) and, when he saw it was from Aang, didn't think it would hurt if he took a peak; he was wrong and he quickly tied it back up.

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099: Letter

The words are just of ink and the paper is just of a tree long dead, but Katara can't help but smile and laugh at the pictures Aang paints with his words for her.

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100: Promise

When they said their vows during their marriage ceremony the words flowed off their tongues like water, as they had already said these promises countless times before; yet the underlying promise of the rest to never stop supporting and loving the other never diminished.

* * *

_AN: Well, there we have it folks. Thanks so much for sticking with me to the end of this collection. I hope you had fun reading it as I did writing it!_


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